Who knew a bronze copy of a lost masterpiece would end up here? Before you stands Den vilande Diana a captivating bronze statue. It’s a copy of course. The original sculpted by Jean Goujon in the mid-1500s vanished during World War II. This version though is a testament to the original’s beauty.
This wasn’t always in Stockholm. Originally a gift from King Henry II of France to his mistress Diane de Poitiers. It was a lavish present for a lover. The statue was once the centerpiece of a fountain at the Chateau d’Anet. Such was its artistic merit that it eventually found its way to the Louvre Museum in Paris. Imagine the shock when the masterpiece disappeared.
The Louvre commissioned a replica in the 1950s. Bergman’s foundry in Stockholm was chosen for the task. They used a marble replica in the Vatican as their guide. A second bronze copy was also made. This one went to a sculpture park in Rottneros. But the copy in Stockholm sparked immense interest. People felt Stockholm deserved its own version of this incredible work. A generous donation by art patron Axel Hirsch made it possible.
Now here it sits a tribute to lost artistry a story of love power and loss. It is a lasting symbol of Stockholm’s appreciation for art. A reminder of a gift from the past. A copy of a vanished work of art given new life in a new city. Look closely at the detail. Notice the way the light catches the bronze. Let the story of Den vilande Diana linger in your thoughts. It’s quite a tale.