Henri Weigele

Sotheby’s London, Belle Epoque Sculpture and Furniture: Property of a Private Foundation, 27 September 1991, lot 67

Diana was the ancient Roman goddess of the wilderness, margins and savageness. Depicted throughout the history of Western art, she is associated with the Greek deity Artemis, and is frequently represented as goddess of the hunt. The most famous sculptural depiction of Diana is the Diane de Versailles, which was placed by Louis XIV in the Galerie des Glaces in the Palace of Versailles (it is today in the Louvre). Diana was a favourite iconography for European kings and princes, particularly Louis XIV, who was obsessed with hunting. Diana also famously appears in Titian's poesie paintings made for Philip II of Spain; see the Diana and Actaeon, Diana and Callisto and Death of Actaeon in the National Gallery in London.

Henri Wiegele is celebrated for his wonderfully sumptuous female allegorical busts made of rich coloured marbles and gilt bronze. Born in Schierbach, Haut-Rhin, Weigele studied sculpture under Jules Franceschi (1825-1893) in Paris. He became a member of the Sociétaire des Artistes Français in 1902 and subsequently exhibited at the Salon.