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Mary of Burgundy
Jean-Auguste Barre (French, 1811–1896)
French
about 1837–42
Medium/Technique
Metal; bronze
Dimensions
49.8 x 33.0 x 14.9 cm (19 5/8 x 13 x 5 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated by The Swan Society
Accession Number2002.26
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsSculpture
Mary of Burgundy was a fifteenth-century princess and the wife of Emperor Maximilian I Hapsburg of Austria. This bronze represents the poignant moment just before Mary's fatal riding accident, as her page tries to control the agitated horse. Mary's costume and the trappings of the horse as well as the dramatic and challenging motif of the rearing horse evoke the setting and craftsmanship of the Renaissance.
DescriptionThis bronze statuette represents the 15th-century Valois princess and wife of the Hapsburg Emperor Maximilian I of Austria. It shows Mary out hawking, but sadly represents the moment just before the accident that would lead to her death. While she is still happily lost in the world of the hunt, the rearing horse and running page who tries to control the beast indicate the tragic nature of the story to the viewer.
ProvenanceAbout 1992, acquired in London by Charles Janoray (dealer), New York; 2002, sold by Charles Janoray to the MFA. (Accession Date: February 27, 2002)