Saltarelli Cell, 1900

In this great marble work the sculptor Giuseppe Romagnoli (1872-1966) proposes a frontal view of an angelic figure according to a symbolic perspective that contrasts "inevitable and definitive death" and "Eros, the essence of life".
The fully symmetrical and elegant work features opened wings forming a fan in full Art Nouveau style while the impassive face gazes upwards. The arms hanging loosely with hands firmly against the wall emphasise the inevitability of death. The position of the wings, seeming almost of ancient Egyptian inspiration, more likely refer to the grace of the famous dancer Loie Fuller, who was a source of inspiration for the most famous Art Nouveau artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec.