''La Zingarella'' or ''Gypsy Girl'' is a tall statue of
Diana
Diana most commonly refers to:
* Diana (name), given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon
* Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), ...
,
a combination of an ancient body with additions commissioned by Cardinal
Scipione Borghese
Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese (; 1 September 1577 – 2 October 1633) was an Italian cardinal, art collector and patron of the arts. A member of the Borghese family, he was the patron of the painter Caravaggio and the artist Bernini. His legac ...
and executed by
Nicolas Cordier
Nicolas Cordier (1567–1612) was a sculptor from Lorraine working in Rome where he was also known as Niccolò da Lorena or "il Franciosino" (the little Frenchman).
Cordier was born in Saint-Mihiel. As a sculptor, he primary produced religious-t ...
, between 1607 and 1612. The additions, a head and the extremities of the body, were in
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
, and white and grey marble. It is on display in Room X in the
Galleria Borghese
The or Borghese Gallery is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. At the outset, the gallery building was integrated with its gardens, but nowadays the Villa Borghese gardens are considered a separate touri ...
in
Rome, Italy
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
.
Description
This statue is a hybrid of an ancient grey
marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
torso, and Cordier's white marble and gilded bronze. Recent restoration, which removed a thick black patina added to tone down the statue to suit 19th-century taste, revealed a gold clasp.
Its assembly from ancient and modern elements makes it an exotic, almost
orient
The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world.
In English, it is largely a meto ...
alizing work.
Eagles and dragons decorate the hem of the statue's gown.
The gown is knotted at the shoulders.
The figure is
smiling
A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile.
Among humans, a smile expresses d ...
.
The statue's finger points out, as if to acknowledge the viewer. The statue in the Galleria Borghese is the most celebrated version of La Zingarella; however, there is another version of the statue by Nicolas Cordier in the
Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
.
Visconti described the statue as ''Diana, detto volgarmente la Zingarella.''
See also
*
Zinger
References
{{Reflist
External links
La Zingarella 1600s sculptures
1610s sculptures
Renaissance sculptures
Sculptures in the Borghese Collection
Sculptures in the Louvre by French artists
Romani people in art