Terracotta sculptuur van Mnemosyne before 1857

This photograph captures Marcel Gustave Laverdet’s terracotta sculpture of Mnemosyne. In Greek mythology, Mnemosyne is the titan goddess of memory and the mother of the nine muses, each representing a different art or science. Although Laverdet is not well known and the sculpture's date is unknown, the choice of subject matter and the medium offer some context. During the 19th century, archaeology became an important science and discoveries of ancient sculptures inspired artists across Europe. Terracotta, the unglazed ceramic earth, was used in ancient Greek and Roman sculpture and architecture. The choice of this material therefore aligns with the fascination for classical antiquity that was a significant aspect of European culture at the time. As an allegory for memory, Mnemosyne invites us to consider the past and how it informs the present. To understand this sculpture and photograph better, we would want to investigate French artistic training during the 19th century, the market for such works of art, and the relationship between classical sculpture and photography.