Pierre LEPAUTRE France 1703-1705 Marble Resin moulding This sculpture belongs to a sculpted group, its counterpart is Hippomène by Guillaume COUSTOU.
Atalanta, unwilling to marry, promised her father she would only marry the one who would outrun her in a race.
She would kill the losing challengers.
Hippomenes challenges the young girl and, during the race, leaves three golden apples that the goddess of love Aphrodite gave him.
Atalanta slows down to pick them up, which allows Hippomenes to get in the lead.
The race for love also inspires sculptors who challenge the laws of balance and gravity.
Here, the sculptor Lepautre depicts Atalanta with her body going forward and captured by the impulse of her stride while Hipponemes is about to throw away her golden apples to slow her down.
