André Joseph Allar

Sale, Enghien, Belgium, 16 March 1980 (probably)

L. Noet, Vie et oeuvre du sculpteur André Allar 1845-1926: Catalogue raisonné, Paris, 2008, pp. 171-172, no. 106C (probably)

Overall the condition of the marble is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including to the chest and to the drapery at the back of the head (all filled with wax). There are some small chips and abrasions around the edges and corners at the bottom. There is minor naturally occurring veining in the marble, in particular at the signature and running through the legs. Further veining to the proper left upper arm.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A sculptor from the south of France, Allar was born in Toulon, but went to Paris to train under Dantan and Cavelier. He achieved considerable success both as a small-scale and an architectural sculptor, winning a series of prizes, and ultimately being made an officier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1896 and a member of the French Institute in 1905. However, it is in the local museum of native town of Toulon that the main body of his work can be found, including his Achilles and Agamemnon, Hercules finding his dead son, and a number of architectural features which he designed for the facade of the museum and other local buildings.

Allar composed the plaster model for Isis se dévoilant in 1893 and the prime marble version was executed in 1901 and acquired by the state for 9,000FF; it is now in Bagnères-de-Luchon, Haute-Garonne. According to Noet, the model is inspired by Guéron d'Angely's poem La Vierge de Saïs and he notes a letter from the sculptor describing the figure as being symbolic of the soul of the Earth, Nature, and the universal discovery of man's intelligence (Noet, op. cit., p. 172). Noet lists only one reduction of the model, which must be presumed to be the present, very finely carved, marble, which he records as having been executed towards the end of Allar's life in 1923.