Zacharie Rimbez – 19th Orientalist Marble Bust Of Armida

Zacharie Rimbez (active between 19th and 20th century). Orientalist bust in white marble depicting Armida, second half of the 19th century.

Armida is a Muslim sorceress, a character in Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered. Armida is a young woman, with blond, curly hair, pale skin and red lips, of enchanting beauty, to the point that the author goes so far as to declare that she is the most beautiful woman who has ever lived on Earth. Despite her young age, Armida possesses an expert intelligence and a vigorous soul, and has an extraordinary talent for the magical arts. The figure of Armida has an extraordinary success in the world of art, portrayed by the greatest masters of painting starting with Gian Battista Tiepolo.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, at the height of the artistic movement known as Orientalism, exotic poems such as Jerusalem Delivered are of great inspiration for artists who often had never set foot in the East. Zacharie Rimbez is a French orientalist sculptor who lived between the 19th and 20th centuries. His works mainly include busts, the best known of which remains “Armida”.

Of this bust, the bronze versions are mainly known, the marble versions are very rare. Our bust is in excellent condition, without restorations and with its original patina. It is signed Z. Rimbez on the shoulder. It rests on its original base in white marble and red marble.

Measurements H cm 62 W cm 31 D cm 23