Artist:

Randolph Rogers, born Waterloo, NY 1825-died Rome, Italy 1892  Search this

Medium:

marble

Dimensions:

47 1/8 x 15 7/8 x 20 1/8 in. (119.8 x 40.2 x 51.0 cm.)

Type:

Sculpture

Date:

modeled 1863-1864

Luce Center Label:

In 1855-56, Randolph Rogers first conceived of The Somnambula as a partner piece to his popular statue Nydia. The Somnambula, or "the sleepwalker," relates to Somnus, the Roman god of sleep, but Rogers probably based this figure on Vincenzo Bellini's popular nineteenth-century opera La Sonnambula. The heroine of the opera, Amina, sleepwalks into the room of another man, whom she mistakes for her fiancé Elvino. In a jealous rage, Elvino accuses her of having a lover, who, to no avail, pleads with him that they are not in love, but that she is a "sleepwalker." Elvino realizes his mistake when Amina, lamp in her hand, sleepwalks across a bridge and almost falls, but is awakened and rescued.

Topic:

Figure female\nude  Search this

Figure female\full length  Search this

State of being\other\sleep  Search this

Literature\Donizetti\Somnambula  Search this

Credit Line:

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Fortunato Porotto

Object number:

1962.11.2

Restrictions & Rights:

CC0

See more items in:

Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department:

Painting and Sculpture

On View:

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, 20A

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor

Data Source:

Smithsonian American Art Museum

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk77221770e-618d-46f3-a3be-0d4334d74000

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:saam_1962.11.2