EUGÈNE DUFOSSEZ · (1876-1938)
Sleeping Nymph
technical sheet
| ARTIST | Eugène Dufossez |
| DATE | ca. 1910 |
| DIMENSIONS | 28 × 44.5 × 31.5 cm |
| MATERIAL | White Carrara marble |
| SIGNED | “E. DUFOSSEZ” |
about the work
“The Sleeping Nymph” by Eugène Dufossez embodies, with exquisite delicacy, the surrender and grace of a mythological figure immersed in peaceful sleep. Carved from pure white Carrara marble, this sculpture—striking in its naturalism—testifies to the artist’s exceptional ability to render the softness of the human form through stone.
The composition depicts a young woman, a nymph, reclining in perfect harmony with the rocky base upon which she rests. Her posture evokes deep slumber: both arms are folded beneath her head, her face nestled in the curve of her right arm, enhancing the impression of intimacy and introspective withdrawal.
The figure possesses an almost tangible presence. The marble skin appears supple and alive, in stark contrast to the rough-hewn base that evokes the rawness of natural stone into which the nymph seems to gently dissolve. The sculptor masterfully plays with textures to heighten the expressive power of the work: the stone is polished to a near-translucent smoothness to simulate the delicacy of flesh, while the hair, rendered with a softer and more diffuse effect, adds to the sense of weightlessness. In contrast, the base remains rugged, creating a dialogue between mineral harshness and feminine refinement.
the ARTIST
Eugène Dufossez
1876 – Paris, 1938
Artist blending naturalism with sculptural grace. Eugène Clément Dufossez was a Belgian sculptor. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he lived during the First World War, before settling in Belgium at 45 Avenue Louise in Saint-Gilles. His work includes figures, busts, animal groups, and bas-reliefs, executed in marble or bronze. Among his notable works is a marble sculpture La Pleureuse (“The Mourner”), created for the tomb of Paul Dufossez in the Laeken Cemetery.
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