The Three Graces (Monument of the Heart of Henry II)

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Three elegant women stand back-to-back with clasped hands, slowly performing a round dance. Their heads bear an urn that once held the heart of Henry II, King of France. Carved by Germain Pilon, these figures embody the epitome of elegance, crafted in conjunction with Jean Goujon as the greatest 16th-century French sculptors. Commissioned in 1561 by Queen Catherine de Médicis to honor her late husband, King Henry II, who succumbed to his injuries after a tournament in 1559, this monument was also intended to receive the queen's heart upon her passing. It was placed in the church of the Celestine monastery in Paris. Germain Pilon crafted the Three Graces, while Domenico del Barbiere, an Italian sculptor, executed the triangular pedestal and created the model for the bronze urn, which was melted down during the Revolution and replaced with a gilded wood replica. In accordance with a custom observed by the French monarchy since the 13th century, the king's heart was interred in a separate tomb within the church of his choice, while his body lay at rest in the basilica of Saint-Denis. This tradition was revived during the 16th century when King Henry II commissioned sculptor Pierre Bontemps to create the Monument of the Heart in honor of his father, Francis I, which was placed in the abbey of de Hautes-Bruyères (Yvelines) but is now located in Saint-Denis. Instead of carving a recumbent effigy of the deceased, Bontemps departed from tradition by sculpting a richly decorated urn adorned with secular bas-reliefs paying tribute to a sovereign who was an avid patron of the arts. The monument honoring Henry II is even more audacious, featuring the Three Graces dancing a silent round in a spirit of pagan antiquity. The idea behind this monument may have originated from Primaticcio, who served as director of royal tombs under Queen Catherine de Médicis and was likely inspired by an antique sculpture of the triple deity Hecate. The Three Graces were probably inspired by a cassolette designed for Francis I by Raphael and engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi. The significance of the Graces has sparked intense debate among art historians, with some interpreting them as symbols of conjugal fidelity, while others view them as theological virtues. The inscriptions on the base, which commemorate the indomitable union between the married couple, lend credence to this interpretation. Pilon carved the three women from a single block of marble, creating an impression of a fusiform volume. The theme, the light tunics, the measured elegance of the gestures, the serenity of the expressions, and the regular facial features are all references to antique statuary. However, Pilon's vision is distinctly different, as he saw the bodies as towering flames. Pilon adopted Mannerism's elongated canons of beauty: slender silhouettes, tiny high breasts, long necks, tapering hands, and feet. On these svelte, firm bodies, the fine fabric suggests the undulating movement of a flame. The artist carved deep into the marble and crafted sharp-edged drapery that catches the light, adds rhythm to the surface, and conveys the slight swaying movement of the dance. The supple play of arms emphasizes this sense of movement, while the beauty of the marble group is completed by the fine craftsmanship.