Diana
Sculpture, full-length figure • Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, 1848-1907)
Style & Movement
American Renaissance / Beaux-Arts
Medium & Technique
Gilded bronze (hollow-cast), originally designed as a weather vane with a rotating mechanism
Creation Period
Designed 1892-1893 (this cast 1893-1894)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 13 feet (3.9 meters) in height; vertical orientation
Subject Description
The Roman goddess Diana depicted as a nude huntress. She is balanced on the ball of her foot on a sphere, drawing a bow in a dynamic, elegant pose. The work represents an idealized classical form with quintessentially American proportions of the 19th-century 'New Woman.'
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent. Professionally conserved and maintained within a controlled museum environment.
Estimated Market Value
$5,000,000 - $10,000,000 (estimation based on historical significance and rarity; the original is a museum fixture)
Auction Estimate
$4,000,000 - $8,000,000
Provenance History
Commissioned for the second Madison Square Garden building in New York City. This specific half-size variant was cast for the artist and subsequently acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Art Historical Significance
One of the most iconic images of American 19th-century sculpture. It served as a landmark for New York City atop Madison Square Garden and signaled a shift toward unabashed nudity in American public art, merging classical mythology with modern aesthetics.
Notable Features
Balanced precariously on a small toe point; high-quality gilding that reflects ambient light in the Charles Engelhard Court; notable for its fluid silhouette against the architecture of the American Wing.
Condition Issues
Minor wear to the gilding may occur over decades; however, no significant structural damage or corrosion is visible.
Conservation Recommendations
Keep in a climate-controlled interior to prevent oxidation of the bronze and degradation of the gold leaf. Periodic dusting with soft brushes and professional monitoring of the gilding stability.