The Espousal (The Passage of the Rhine)

Aimé-Jules Dalou

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts two human figures, one male and one female. The male figure is standing and holding the female figure up with both hands. The female figure is positioned on top of the male, her body leaning forward towards him. The sculpture is rendered in a dark, metallic material with a glossy sheen. The detailed texture captures the anatomy of the figures and drapery wrapped around them, creating a sense of dynamic movement and interaction between the two. The figures are depicted in an intimate pose, with the male looking upwards towards the female, who is gazing down at him with her hands resting on his shoulders. The sculpture presents a lifelike representation of the human form in motion.