Sculptpedia Statues, Busts and Sculptures Park sculptures and installations Ancient World & Antiquity Middle Ages & Renaissance Marble & Other Stones Bronze & Other Metals

Africa

Africa is a cast-iron sculpture on a covered plinth, created in 1878 by the French sculptor Eugène Delaplanche and cast by Antoine Durenne. It presents the African continent in allegorical form. The work was commissioned by the French state to decorate the terrace of the Trocadéro Palace for the 1878 Universal Exposition in Paris. It remained there until 1935, when the palace was rebuilt for the Palais de Chaillot, and was then sent to Nantes. In 1985, the Louvre assigned it to the Musée d'Orsay, which had it restored by the Coubertin foundry. It is now displayed on the forecourt of the Musée d'Orsay alongside five other cast-iron statues representing the other continents.

Africa sculpture of a seated woman holding a basket of fruit and vegetables, with her foot resting on a tortoise.
The Africa sculpture shows a seated woman with draped fabric, a fruit basket, and a tortoise beneath her foot.
February 2013 © · CC BY 2.0
Africa by Eugène Delaplanche, a dark patinated seated woman with a headscarf, flowing drapery, and a basket of fruit, resting her feet on a tortoise.
Africa by Eugène Delaplanche, showing a seated woman with drapery and a basket of fruit in front of a stone building.
April 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
L\'Afrique by Eugène Delaplanche, a dark statue of a seated woman with a headwrap holding a basket of fruit, with one foot resting on a turtle.
L\'Afrique by Eugène Delaplanche, shown as a seated woman holding a basket of fruit outdoors.
February 2008 © · Public domain
Africa sculpture showing a seated woman with an elephant-head throne and a small jar in her hand.
Africa, one of the statues of the six continents in Paris, shown as a seated figure with an elephant-themed throne.
© · CC BY 3.0
Africa sculpture by Musée d\'Orsay, a dark cast-iron figure seated on a stone plinth with a small lion cub beside her.
The Africa sculpture stands on a stone plinth outside Musée d\'Orsay.
© · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleAfrica
TypeSculpture

Historical context

Date created1878

Creator

ArtistEugène Delaplanche
Founder / casterAntoine Durenne

Discovery and provenance

Commissioned bythe French state
Commission date1878
Purpose of commissionto decorate the terrace of the Palais du Trocadéro for the 1878 Universal Exposition in Paris
Original locationTerrace of the Palais du Trocadéro, Paris
Original group contextOne of six similarly sized cast-iron statues placed at the Palais du Trocadéro for the 1878 Universal Exposition, each representing a continent
Relocation in 1935Moved from the Palais du Trocadéro to Nantes after the palace was rebuilt to make way for the Palais de Chaillot
Transfer to Musée d'Orsay1985

History and restoration

RestorationThe Musée d'Orsay commissioned the Coubertin foundry to restore it

Location and ownership

Current locationForecourt of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Current display contextDisplayed with five other similarly sized cast-iron statues representing the other continents

Physical characteristics

MaterialCast iron
BaseCovered base

Iconography and meaning

SubjectAn allegory of Africa
Turtle symbolismMay allude to the continent's fertility and slower awakening
Pseudo-hieroglyphs referenceAncient Egypt

Appearance

Depicted figureA seated, bare-breasted woman
ClothingA long dress tied at the waist with a sash and a veil decorated with jewels
AccessoriesJewelry and a belt
Attribute in left handA basket of fruit and vegetables
Foot placementLeft foot resting on a turtle
Side decorationImitations of hieroglyphs

Significance

Jean-Marcel Humbert interpretationPreeminence for the African continent is usually assigned to Egypt, but in this case it is assigned to Africa itself