Penelope

This sculpture depicting Penelope is also known as Penelope asleep. Penelope wife of Odysseus waited her husband for 20 years before his return. The woman, not willing to marry another man, refused all the man who asked her to be their spouse during the years. Her faith to the husband brought her to find a way to keep her promise and to wait for her husband. Once Odysseus leaves for his trip, she starts weaving her father-in-law Laertes' burial promising that once done she will be ready to marry again. Every night of these 20 long years, she would undo the work done during the day, patiently waiting for Odysseus return. Thanks to the remarkable beauty of this sculpture, Cavelier was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1842.这件描绘珀涅罗珀的雕塑亦被称为《沉睡的珀涅罗珀》。奥德修斯之妻珀涅罗珀，在丈夫归来前苦等了整整二十年。这位女子不愿改嫁他人，二十年间始终拒绝所有向她求婚的男子。她对丈夫的忠贞，让她想出了既能信守承诺又能继续等待的办法：奥德修斯启程远行后，珀涅罗珀为公公拉厄耳忒斯（Laertes）缝制殓衣，并宣称待殓衣织成后便会改嫁。在这漫长的二十年里，她每到夜晚便拆掉白日织就的布料，就这样耐心守候着奥德修斯的归来。凭借这件雕塑出众的艺术表现力，创作者卡瓦利耶（Cavelier）于1842年斩获罗马大奖（Prix de Rome）。