Young woman holding libation cup 1891 - 1907

This is a plaster relief, ‘Young Woman Holding Libation Cup’ by César-Isidore-Henry Cros, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The piece, dominated by soft, flowing lines, captures a woman in profile offering a libation. The texture of the plaster adds depth, giving a tactile quality to the figure and evoking a sense of antiquity. Cros, working in the late 19th century, was deeply involved in the revival of ancient artistic techniques. The relief’s composition reflects this interest, echoing classical friezes and bas-reliefs. The woman’s serene expression and the ritualistic act of offering create a sense of timelessness. Semiotically, the cup and gesture symbolize reverence, connecting the viewer to ancient religious practices. The rough texture and unfinished edges of the relief serve not only to highlight the materiality of the plaster but also engage with poststructuralist ideas about the fragmentation and instability of meaning. Consider how the artist uses the relief form to play with notions of surface and depth, challenging fixed meanings and inviting ongoing interpretation.