Houdon, Jean-Antoine (1741 - 1828)

This marble sculpture is a late version of a plaster bust presented by Houdon at the 1769 Salon (held at the Schlossmuseum in Gotha, Germany). The plaster work had been created during his stay at the French Academy in Rome, where he was a student between 1764 and 1768. La Paysanne (The Peasant Woman) by Frascati is not a true portrait, nor a copy based on the antique version. It is more of a "study head" for which Houdon combines his knowledge of ancient portraits with that of local hair fashion (the town of Frascati is located about twenty kilometres from Rome). In this work, Houdon demonstrates his virtuoso qualities, playing on the simultaneously smooth and slightly shiny character of Carrara marble, and on the forward tilt of the head, which accentuates the meditative attitude of the figure.