This large work – The River by the French artist Aristide Maillol – is a startling, though somewhat unsettling, presence in the quiet of the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
It was originally conceived as a work on the theme of war – a woman stabbed in the back and falling. The idea later evolved into a contorted figure on the cusp of being pulled into a powerful current.
Ironically, the sculpture garden is a haven of tranquility where art lovers can enjoy a little down time before setting off on the next leg of their MOMA adventure.