Nature Unveiling Herself Before Science

Barrias builds on centuries-old traditions by presenting nature as a woman—here shrouded in a cloak, imbued with a sense of mystery. This bronze is a variation on a marble statue commissioned in 1889 to decorate the medical school in Bordeaux. As the title indicates, the shroud is lifted when scientific inquiry reveals previously unknown truths about the natural world. While the belted, flowing drapery is reminiscent of classical dress, the scarab at the woman’s waist hails from ancient Egyptian traditions.