Intended as a pair, these refined bronzes illustrate two stories from ancient Roman mythology: the moon goddess Selene visiting the slumbering shepherd Endymion, and the princess Ariadne encountering Bacchus, god of wine, who points skyward to Ariadne’s crown of stars. Corneille van Clève delighted in contrasting surface effects, from the smooth, polished nudes to the textured fur and flora. His complex compositions reveal themselves as the viewer moves around them, rewarding examination from multiple points of view. Having studied in Rome, van Clève conducted a distinguished career, culminating in his appointments as director of the Royal Academy in Paris and as royal sculptor at the Palace of Versailles.