Prune Nourry Restores 18 Forgotten Belle Époque Women Sculptors at Petit Palais

A mere 4% of the collection at Petit Palais consists of works by women. To remedy this imbalance, artist Prune Nourry is unveiling 'Visionnaires', a complimentary exhibition this autumn that showcases 18 new plaster busts of female sculptors from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, curated by Sixtine de Saint-Léger. Nourry worked alongside historians Mathilde de Croix, Lucia Pesapane, and Delphine Wanes to compile writings and portraits of notable sculptors such as Camille Claudel and Sarah Bernhardt. The busts, measuring between 70 cm and 3.5 m, draw inspiration from the museum's existing statuary. Currently, only four female sculptors are represented in the permanent collection. 'Visionnaires' will be on display from October 20, 2026, to January 24, 2027, at the Petit Palais in Paris.