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When you think ofmarble statues, what comes to mind?
You most likely imagine sculptures of freestanding figures, like theVenus de MiloandDavid.
What is a Caryatid?
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The name caryatid is derived from the Greek word,karyatides, which translates to maidens of Karyai.
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Two centuries later, history’s most famous caryatids were erected in nearby Athens.
However, during theItalian Renaissancean enlightened age sparked by a renewed cultural interest in classical antiquityartists revived the practice.
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Rather than carve caryatids for use on building facades, however, sculptors began incorporating them into interiors.
About 1881 Rodin enlarged the figure and added a stone.
A caryatid from Siphnian Treasury
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(Photo:Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0)
Caryatids at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago
Auguste Rodin, “The Fallen Caryatid Carrying her Stone c.1880-1” (TateCC-BY-NC-ND)
