Le Bagnanti (The Bathers) by Bruno Locatelli, Bronze, 195cm high by 235cm wide by 145cm deep, Figurative Sculpture, Nude, Women

Le Bagnanti (The Bathers) by Bruno Locatelli is a figurative bronze sculpture measuring 195cm high, 235cm wide, and 145cm deep. The work depicts five women gathered in a bathhouse setting, their bodies relaxed and casual. Each figure stands in a natural pose, draped in cloths that fall loosely across their forms. The drapery only partially covers them, leaving much of the chest and other areas of skin revealed.

The treatment of the fabric contrasts with the smooth surfaces of the women’s bodies. The folds cling and fall in ways that suggest dampness, enhancing the sense of intimacy and immediacy in the scene. Their hair also carries the impression of being wet, adding to the impression that the figures have just stepped from the water.

The group does not display theatrical gestures or exaggerated movement. Instead, the women stand in quiet companionship, absorbed in their own calm presence. Their arrangement in space creates an atmosphere of stillness, yet their shared environment links them together.

Locatelli uses bronze to capture both the weight of the cloth and the softness of the skin. The play of light on the figures accentuates the natural curves of their bodies, while the loose drapery adds rhythm and variation across the sculpture.

Le Bagnanti is not simply about form but about mood. It conveys a moment of repose, intimacy, and timeless beauty, evoking the classical tradition of bathers while presenting them with quiet realism.