Une Bacchante

The Challenge

The primary challenge was to communicate the historical and artistic significance of the sculpture without relying on academic explanation or didactic narration. Rather than explaining the artwork, we wanted the object itself to lead the viewer through its own history.

From a creative and technical standpoint, the most complex challenge lay in accurately conveying the sculpture’s spectacular dimensions and physical presence throughout multiple scenes and eras. The sculpture and its column form a monumental ensemble (206 centimeters) and preserving these proportions consistently while transitioning between historical environments was essential to maintaining the authenticity and impact of the piece.

This is where our hybrid vision became fundamental. By assembling real video footage of the sculpture with high-resolution photographs taken directly on site, we were able to reproduce its scale, textures, and materiality, as well as the equally remarkable marble column supporting it.

Our Approach

The film is structured as a journey through time, following Une Bacchante across several key moments in its existence:

• The sculptor’s atelier, where the artwork is first brought to life
• Its presentation at the Salon des Artistes in 1864, where it enters the public eye
• A bourgeois interior in the 1920s, reflecting changing tastes and modes of display
• Its present-day setting at Galerie Hassan, where it stands as a timeless masterpiece

Each chapter is treated as a distinct visual environment, with evolving lighting, composition, and atmosphere to reflect how the meaning and perception of the artwork shift across eras—while the sculpture itself remains unchanged.

To further emphasize the passage of time, we chose to present the bust on a different type of support in each scene, illustrating the evolution of exhibition practices and the contexts in which such an artwork would have been displayed. This detail allowed us to subtly suggest historical progression without explicit explanation.

Hybrid Production

This project is a clear expression of our approach to hybrid filmmaking.

The film was created using a combination of:

• Real video footage of the sculpture filmed at Galerie Hassan
• Photographic resources captured on-site for precise visual reference
• AI-driven video reconstruction to recreate the sculpture story

By grounding the AI work in real, tangible references, we ensured that every digital element respected the sculpture’s true proportions and surface details. The result is a seamless blend of reality and reconstruction, where technology serves the artwork rather than overshadowing it.

This method allowed us to place Une Bacchante convincingly in environments that no longer exist, while preserving the integrity and physical truth of the original piece.

Results

The film reinforced Galerie Hassan’s position as a guardian of museum-quality works, capable of presenting historical masterpieces with both rigor and emotion.

By fully recreating the imagined history of Une Bacchante through a cinematic lens, the project enhanced the sculpture’s emotional resonance for collectors, visitors, and art enthusiasts alike. The film is now used extensively across social media platforms and, most importantly, within the gallery itself, where it accompanies and enriches the viewing experience.

More than a promotional piece, the film functions as a living extension of the artwork—allowing audiences to experience not only what the sculpture is, but everything it has been.