Following models of Pierre Puget; 20th century.

Following models of PIERRE PUGET (France, 1622-1694); 20th century.
"Encounter of Alexander and Diogenes", 1997.
Carved wood.
Signed MR.
Measurements: 84 x 71 x 10 cm.
This titled wood relief follows the compositional and stylistic models of Pierre Puget (France, 1622-1694), specifically that of the relief sculpted by the French artist between 1671 and 1689 for Versailles. The piece is presented as a work of deep narrative and intellectual charge. Inspired by the famous episode recounted in classical sources, the relief represents the moment when Alexander the Great, sovereign and conqueror, approaches the cynical philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, finding him reclining with disinterest in his modest retreat.
The composition, worked with meticulous detail on the wood, organizes the characters in a theatrical way: Alexander, accompanied by his entourage, occupies the center of the action, projecting authority. In front of him, Diogenes appears in a relaxed, almost indifferent posture, underlining with his attitude the opposition between material power and philosophical self-sufficiency. The contrast between the solemn verticality of the king and the carefree horizontality of the sage becomes the dramatic core of the story.
The relief, heir to the baroque tradition that Puget masterfully cultivated, employs chiaroscuro and the undulation of forms to generate movement and tension. The wood, carved with fine gradations, accentuates the folds of the cloaks, the musculature of the bodies and the expressiveness of the faces, in a language that seeks the exaltation of emotions and theatricality.