Marmeren beeld van een vrouw gekleed in strijderskostuum met in haar ene hand een helm en de andere een palmtak. c. 1878 - 1881

This photograph by Louis-Émile Durandelle captures a marble statue of a woman in warrior attire, her hands holding a helmet and a palm branch. The statue's smooth, pale surface contrasts with the dark, undefined background, emphasizing its three-dimensional form and classical design. The composition is rigidly vertical, reinforcing the statue's stoic and commanding presence. Yet, the figure is rendered with soft, flowing lines in her draped clothing, and this juxtaposition of strength and gentleness creates visual interest. The statue destabilizes conventional gender roles by presenting a female figure in battle dress, holding symbols of both war and peace. Durandelle's focus on form and texture invites us to consider how classical ideals are reinterpreted through the lens of 19th-century artistic values. The statue's formal qualities – its verticality, the contrast between smooth marble and sharp details, and its fusion of masculine and feminine attributes – challenge fixed meanings and encourage ongoing interpretation.