|
The Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, India, is
home to one of the most amazing wooden sculptures ever made –
Mephistopheles and Margaretta, a double sculpture featuring two
distinct characters on opposite sides.
Carved out of a single piece of Sycamore sometime in the 19th
century, by an unknown French artist, Mephistopheles and
Margaretta is not only the most photographed artwork displayed
at Salar Jung Museum, but also one of the most recognizable
images on the internet. Photos of this stunning sculptures have
been doing the rounds on social media and capturing the
imagination of millions around the world, for a very long time.
And for good reason, the level of intricacy, and the binary
design have remained unmatched in the last two centuries.
|
 |
|
Mephistopheles and Margaretta consists of two characters within the same
block of wood, but on opposite-facing sides. It’s for this reason that
the statue is presented before a large mirror, so museum visitors can
experience both sides of the artwork and truly appreciate the artist’s
talent.
|
 |
|
While Mephistopheles, better known as the devil, is depicted with his
chest puffed out and an arrogant smile on his face, Margaretta appears
with her head bowed slightly, and a timid expression. It’s this
contrasting nature of the double sculpture that mesmerizes viewers.
In case you haven’t already figured it out, the wooden sculpture was
inspired by the German legend of Faust, where a scholar ends up making a
deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for knowledge and worldly
pleasures.
|
 |