Théodore Rivière (Toulouse, 1857 – 1912) ‘The Oriental Woman after the Sword Dance’ Original plaster cast, 1882 Dimensions: H. 110 cm — W. 100 cm — D. 100 cm H. 110 cm — W. 100 cm — D. 100 cm Original plaster cast, 1882 Provenance Formerly in the collection of Mlle d’Andlau; possibly 1899, Sub-Prefecture of Nogent-le-Rotrou Sources cited: National Archives, F21 2189; family archives, Rodin Museum An important original plaster cast depicting a young Oriental woman sitting cross-legged on cushions, resting after a sword dance. Her bare chest is revealed beneath an open bodice; she is dressed in harem trousers and adorned with bracelets and a headdress with pendants. She rests one hand on her forehead whilst the other still holds the hilt of a long, curved sabre that arches upwards. The whole stands on a moulded circular plinth. Essay This work heralds the Orientalist style that would become central to Rivière’s work from the late 1880s — following his travels to Algeria (1887) and then Tunisia — and which would culminate in his most famous group sculpture, *Salammbô at Mathô* (‘Carthage’), 1895. Trained in Toulouse and then in Paris, a pupil of Jouffroy, Falguière and Mercié, Rivière made his debut at the Salon in 1876. This plaster cast is identified as the plaster statue ‘The Oriental Woman after the Sword Dance’ exhibited at the 1882 Salon of the Société des Artistes Français (no. 4805), which earned Théodore Rivière an honourable mention — according to the artist’s catalogue raisonné, his first award. Exhibitions 1882, Paris, SAF Salon, no. 4805 (honourable mention); 1905, Paris, Chaîne and Simonson, no. 1. Bibliography Delteil, RAD, 1899, p. 307; Uzanne, 1899, vol. IV; Dewamin, 1901, p. 211; Thomas, AD, 1902, p. 130; Lafenestre, *Le Livre d’Or des Salons*, n.d., p. 89. Documentary note In a letter dated 15 May 2009, Catherine Chevillot, Chief Curator of Sculpture at the Musée d’Orsay, stated that the museum was aware of this plaster cast.