Chauncey Bradley Ives: Undine Rising from the Waters (1880)

Undine Rising from the Waters (1888) by Chauncey Bradley Ives

“Undine" by Chauncey Bradley Ives

Imagine being able to turn stone into wet silk."Undine Rising From the Waters" by American sculptor Chauncey Bradley Ives (1880) is a masterpiece of neo-classical illusionistic sculpture.The artist took on one of the hardest tasks imaginable - carving from solid marble the rippling wet gown of the "Undine" as she rises up from the water.According to medieval lore, undines were Mediterranean sea spirits who lived as soulless mortals. Baron Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouqué’s 19th century novel "Undine" popularized the story of a water spirit gaining human form by marrying a mortal knight.When her husband is unfaithful, the laws of the water spirits force her to kill him. The sculpture depicts the moment when the mournful Undine, cloaked in a delicate veil, rises from the water to claim her husband’s life.

“Undine rising from the waters" - marble statue by Chauncey Bradley Ives [1810-1894]

Udine Rising From the Waters by Chauncey Bradley Ives

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“Undine rising from the waters” - marble statue by Chauncey Bradley Ives [1810-1894] via Twitter

“Undine rising from the waters" - marble statue by Chauncey Bradley Ives [1810-1894]

‘Undine Rising from the Water’ (1882) White Marble

Chauncey Bradley Ives

In medieval times, Undines were said to be water spirits who could take mortal form and were popular in the lore of the day. In the 19th century, at the very height of the romantic period, Baron Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouqué’s incorporated the idea into his hugely popular novel ‘Undine’, in which a water spirit gains a human soul by marrying the mortal knight she loves. When her husband proves unfaithful, the laws of the water spirits force her to kill him.

Chauncey Bradley Ives depicts the moment when the mournful Undine, cloaked in a white veil, rises like a fountain to claim her husband’s life. Exquisitely rendered, the diaphanous wet drapery is a masterful example of illusionistic carving.

Fun lil 30 min study of Undine Rising From The Water from my lunchbreak. It is tiny in my sketchbook.

Did a more intense study of “Undine Rise From The Waters” by Chauncey Bradley Ives. I started with watercolor pencil and moved into water color paints. I haven’t done a study in a long time but just LOVE how this came out

Imagine being able to turn stone into wet silk.

"Undine Rising From the Waters" by American sculptor Chauncey Bradley Ives (1880) is a masterpiece of neo-classical illusionistic sculpture.

The artist took on one of the hardest tasks imaginable - carving from solid marble the rippling wet gown of the "Undine" as she rises up from the water.

According to medieval lore, undines were Mediterranean sea spirits who lived as soulless mortals. Baron Heinrich Karl de la Motte Fouqué’s 19th century novel "Undine" popularized the story of a water spirit gaining human form by marrying a mortal knight.

When her husband is unfaithful, the laws of the water spirits force her to kill him. The sculpture depicts the moment when the mournful Undine, cloaked in a delicate veil, rises from the water to claim her husband’s life.

Undine Rising from the Waters, Chauncey Bradley Ives, 1880

“Undine” By Chauncey Bradley Ives