Artwork preview

Comedy and Tragedy: 'Sic Vita'

Sir Alfred Gilbert

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture features a nude male figure standing on one foot while bending slightly forward. His arms are raised across his chest, holding a coiled three-headed serpent. It is made of bronze with detailed anatomical features. The surface is polished, with light and dark shades reflecting light. The figure is placed on a tiered, circular base made of a dark material. The sculpture conveys a sense of movement and vitality through its realistic rendering of musculature and posture.

Artwork Details

Date
model 1891-1892, cast probably 1902/1905
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
8192 × 11469 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
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