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The Lost Pleiad

Randolph Rogers

American Art

Here, a personification of one of the stars in the constellation called the Pleiades searches the heavens. She forfeited her position among her six sister stars because she dared to marry a mortal. Her pose and her windswept hair and drapery convey a distinct sense of forward motion, a difficult effect to achieve in marble.
MEDIUM Marble
  • Place Made: United States
  • DATES ca. 1874–1875
    DIMENSIONS Statue: 49 3/4 x 23 1/4 x 34 1/2 in. (126.4 x 59.1 x 87.6 cm) Height of pedestal: 35 3/8 in. (89.9 cm)  (show scale)
    SIGNATURE Inscribed along back of base: "Randolph Rogers Rome."
    COLLECTIONS American Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 09.770
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Mrs. J. L. Barclay
    PROVENANCE Prior to 1909, provenance not yet documented; before 1909, acquired by Mrs. J .L. Barclay of Brooklyn, NY; December 15, 1909, gift of Mrs. J. L. Barclay to the Brooklyn Museum.
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    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Statue of partially nude female personification of one of the Pleiad stars. Figure leans forward in motion and turns head to proper left with hand held over eyes in seeking gesture, holds proper right arm stretched out behind her; her legs are raised behind her as if she is floating through the air and the figure is supported atop round base of cloud-like forms; she wears loose drapery that falls from proper right shoulder, wraps around her body below her breasts, and comes to a pile below her legs; she has long, wavy hair pulled into a ponytail with several loose strands; inscribed along front edge of round base: "THE LOST PLEIAD." Condition: Good, missing the ends of four fingers of proper right hand; few chunks of ends of hair in ponytail missing; some black stains on back of clouds.
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Randolph Rogers (American, 1825–1892). The Lost Pleiad, ca. 1874–1875. Marble, Statue: 49 3/4 x 23 1/4 x 34 1/2 in. (126.4 x 59.1 x 87.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. J. L. Barclay, 09.770. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.770_front_PS2.jpg)
    IMAGE front, 09.770_front_PS2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2006
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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