Le Cycliste

"Le Cycliste" (The Cyclist) is a sculpture by French artist Aristide Maillol. It depicts the cyclist Gaston Colin riding a bicycle, with his head turned to one side and his body in a dynamic and fluid posture. It was commissioned by the German Count Harry Kessler, who was Maillol's first patron. With this statue, he simply wanted to have a nude full-length portrait of his boyfriend. This work, executed in bronze, is a characteristic example of Maillol's style, which sought to capture movement and sensuality in the human form. The use of a bicycle as a subject matter is unusual in the world of fine art and gives the work a modern touch. The figure's relaxed, athletic pose suggests the joy and freedom of movement, while the flowing lines of the body and bicycle evoke a sense of motion and speed.