The mallet and the chisel are the tools of the sculptor in traditional iconography. In Bourdelle's workshops, praticiens and students, both men and women, used them every day to carve his sculptures.
In 1906, Bourdelle modelled Young Female Sculptor at Work based on his student, Cléopâtre Sevastos. In a long smock, with a cape over her shoulders to protect her from the cold and dampness of the studio, chisel and mallet in hand, she is preparing to attack the block. Art historian Anne Rivière highlighted the originality of such a depiction of a sculptor in action, and wielding a heavy tool. According to historian Marina Lambraki-Plaka, in this work Bourdelle is renewing the ancient representation of Athena in combat, adopting its rhythmic structure, with the mallet replacing the warrior's spear.
The statuette is remarkable for its construction in large surfaces, its arrangement of geometric shapes (triangles and semi-circles) and the flow of the draped material. At the back, the cape (which, depending on the angle of view, appears to be either a large inverted triangle or an inverted semi-circle) is shaped like wings.
Valérie Montalbetti Kervella
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