Before you, a woman stands frozen in time, etched in bronze. This is Sylvie, a sculpture by Marguerite Duchosal-Bastian. She was an artist who, unlike many, blossomed early, showing talent in both sculpture, painting and illustration. This Sylvie of the Parc des Franchises is a little less Art Deco than her earlier namesake. Created in 1982, she stands in the park, a reminder of a bygone era when women were taking their place as scientists, athletes, artists, architects, designers and more. Marguerite Duchessal-Bastian’s creation captures the spirit of a new age woman, her short hair held with a thin headband, casting a fleeting glance behind her. She leans on her thigh, a towel barely thrown across her shoulder, poised to rise from her bath. This is the Sylvie you see today, a testament to a time of change and a woman’s dynamism.
Monument des Communes réunies Statue
Carouge in 1816. Imagine the whispers, the hushed excitement as 24 communes decided to join the canton of Geneva. This