Manner of Claude Michel, called Clodion (1738-1814), a sculpted white marble model of a Vestal Virgin

Manner of Claude Michel, called Clodion (1738-1814), a sculpted white marble model of a Vestal Virgin, portrayed standing and draped, with coiled hair descending to her shoulders, holding an amphora with her right hand, and a basket with floral wreaths with her left, the circular socle inscribed CLODION with the N in reverse, 45cm high

Clodion is known to have sculpted several statuettes in terracotta representing vestal virgins during his time in Rome in the 1760s and later. The present model corresponds to a circa 1799 terracotta statuette by Clodion in the Nasher Museum of Art, North Carolina, Inv. 1991.8.2. The signature with reversed 'N' occurs in several of his later works, see for example the late 18th century terracotta 'Sacrifice to Priapus' and 'Cupid and Psyche' groups at the Getty museum and Victoria and Albert Museum respectively, which are equally Neoclassical in style. A marble statuette of Flora, of similar size and handling, is in the Royal Collection (RCN 2226).