Émile-Coriolan-Hippolyte Guillemin

the female figure signed Guillemin / 1884, the male signed E^{le Guillemin}.

See Stéphane Richemond, Terres Cuites Orientalistes et Africanistes, Éditions de l'Amateur, Paris, 1999, p. 181, for a pair of polychrome bronze figures of standing Janissaires with similar helmets as the one offered in the present lot.

Overall in good original condition. Light scratches and dents consistent with age. Tarnishing to silvered bronze. We believe that some work has been done to the patina to some extent which implies some areas have been repatinated. The jewels ornamenting the female figure are likely later replacements.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Orientalism was a Western fascination with the exoticism of other continents which became popular during the latter half of the 19th century. Romantic portrayals of African countries in contemporary literature and operas, such as L'Africaine and Aïda, fueled this exoticism. In America, the Turkish Bazaar in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition further heightened the fascination with "Turkish" or "Moorish" subjects which lasted well into the 1880s. Orientalist themes allowed artists to break away from the stark monochromatic Neoclassicism; utilizing a variety of gilt and silvered bronze, marble, onyx, and colored stones, they added richness to their work, while still maintaining a keen interest in the ethnography of their subjects.

Guillemin specialized in figurative works and was inspired by the Middle and Far East. His representations of Indian falconers (in collaboration with Alfred Barye), Turkish, Kurdish, and Algerian maidens, as well as Japanese courtesans, firmly established his reputation as one of the foremost Orientalist sculptors from the mid-1870s. He exhibited for the last time at the Salon of 1899 and many of his works were purchased by the state. 

The Janissaire was a member of an elite military corps, originally formed of war captives, who protected the Ottoman Empire and held a very high place in society until abolished by Sultan Mahmud II (d. 1839). Due to their popularity and political power, they were an intriguing subject matter for portraiture. The female bust, Femme Kabyle d'Algerie, was first exhibited at the Salon in 1884 to great acclaim. The present pair are some of the best examples of finely-detailed polychrome and applied stone sculptures, for which Guillemin was best known.