Randolph Rogers, American, 1825–1892
Nydia, the Blind Flower Girl of Pompeii, 1855
Nydia is work that brilliantly portrays the tension between man and nature. In terms of craftsmanship, the artist conquers the marble, bending and shaping the mineral to his will. The delicate drapery, the milky, dewy complexion of the figure’s skin, and her dynamic posture are a testament to the artist’s mastery over his medium. It is interesting to note here, however, that this piece, despite its singular appearance, was actually a run-of-the-mill reproduction that was churned out by one of Roger’s anonymous apprentices. The power of nature over man is apparent in the subject matter (rather than the matter itself). This statue depicts a distraught Nydia running from an implied volcanic eruption (which is hinted at by the toppled column). At last, we see nature ravaging the ecosystem of humans instead of the other way around—there are still some environmental phenomena that humans can neither control nor escape. Label by Tara Vasanth