A Young Girl; La Boudeuse

myminifactory

A portrait of a young girl in marble by French sculptor Jacques Saly is mentioned as being exhibited at the Salon in Paris in 1750. Stanislas Lami, a French sculptor and historian, notes this exhibition. Mariette, an art collector and connoisseur, mentions a pretty head of a young girl, sculpted by Saly in Rome, in 1753. Various versions of this bust survive, with multiple writers discussing them. These include another marble version, believed to be the original, and other versions made from terracotta, bronze, and faience. The Victoria and Albert Museum's bust is thought to be an early copy of the original model, created in the second half of the 18th century. It is likely that Saly himself created this bust, but it remains unsigned. There has been some debate about the identity of the sitter. She was previously believed to be Alexandrine d'Etoilles, daughter of Mme de Pompadour, and later thought to be the daughter of Jean-Francois de Troy, Director of the French Academy in Rome when Saly studied there in the 1740s. Both theories have been discounted, leaving her identity unknown. Francois Boucher reproduced Saly's bust in a panel called 'The Arts and Sciences: Painting and Sculpture', part of a series he painted for Madame de Pompadour in 1750-52. This panel is likely to be displayed at the Chateau de Crecy. Saly's bust has enduring appeal, with multiple copies made, including those created in the nineteenth century. Jacques François Joseph Saly was born in France in 1717 and initially trained under the sculptor Guillaume Coustou. He won a place at the French Academy in Rome, where he studied from 1740-48. After returning to Paris for a few years, he left for Copenhagen, arriving in 1753. Saly had been recommended to create an equestrian statue of King Frederick V of Denmark to be placed in the courtyard of Amalienborg Palace. This project occupied him for many years and was finally completed in 1768. The Royal Danish Academy of Art was established in 1754, with Saly serving as its Director. The bust is popularly known as 'La Boudeuse', which means 'the sulk' or 'pout' in French. This nickname has stuck to this day. Gallery location: Europe 1600-1815, Room 4, case WS This object is part of the "Scan The World" initiative, a non-profit project launched by MyMiniFactory. Scan the World aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. The project is open-source and community-driven. If you have interesting items and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. The object was scanned using photogrammetry and processed with Agisoft PhotoScan. Courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.