Bacchante at The Petit Palais, Paris

myminifactory

The Bacchante is a breathtaking marble sculpture that Jean-Baptiste Clesinger created in 1848. A master sculptor known for his work as Auguste Clesinger, he brought this incredible piece of art to life. The Bacchante is actually a variation of the sculpture 'Woman bitten by a Serpent', which was a massive hit and caused quite a scandal when it premiered at the Salon in 1847. By dressing up as a devoted follower of the Greek God Bacchus, Clesinger infused his masterpiece with a sense of sensuality, showcasing the subject's intense desire as if she were in a state of ecstasy. The torso of the Bacchante is an exact replica of Apollinie Sabatier, a brilliant stateswoman and one of Clesinger's mistresses in 1847. At the time, Sabatier was also involved with Alfred Mosselman, a wealthy industrialist. This stunning piece of art is part of "Scan The World", a groundbreaking initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital library of fully printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the globe for everyone's free access. Scan the World is an open-source project that relies on community contributions; if you have fascinating objects nearby and want to participate, just send an email to stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can join in.