Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are minor restorations to the chains beside the quiver beside above the shield at the back. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, consistent with the material, including to the legs, the proper left arm, and to the proper right hip. There are a few minor chips, including to the hair above the forehead and to the bottom edge of the base.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This sensuous nude is a rare marble version of a model known primarily in bronze and terracotta. It follows the sale of a larger marble, also dated 1866, in these rooms on 25 May 2016 (lot 16), which may have represented Carrier's prime version of the Amazone. 

By representing an Amazon, one of the legendary female warriors from antiquity, as helpless and unclothed, chained to a tree and surrounded by what seem to be the remnants of her armour, Carrier-Belleuse arguably broke new iconographic ground. The woman’s voluptuous nudity and her vulnerable, imploring gaze form a stark contrast to the Amazons’ reputation as fierce fighters, lending a titillating eroticism to the composition. As Hargrove has noted, in this model Carrier 'transformed his eclectic sources into a thoroughly nineteenth-century configuration.' Hargrove further comments that the Amazone's pose may have been derived from Augustin Pajou’s Psyche of 1790, but that Carrier-Belleuse 'added a mannered lushness to Pajou’s idea.' The contorted arrangement of the Amazone’s body and the abundant braid of hair that falls onto her shoulder epitomise the luxuriance of Belle-Époque sensuality.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Hargrove, The Life and Work of Albert Carrier-Belleuse, New York and London, 1977, p. 233