Rembrandt Bugatti

Louis Comfort Tiffany, New York (acquired in 1922)
Private Collection, New York (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, June 7, 2002, lot 235)
Acquired at the above sale

Edward Horswell, Rembrandt Bugatti, Life in Sculpture, London, 2004, illustration of another cast pp. 198-99
Véronique Fromanger, Rembrandt Bugatti Sculpteur- Répertoire Monographique, Paris, 2009, no. 274, illustration of another cast p. 323

Dark brown patina. Minor patina rubbing around the edge of the base, otherwise surface is clean. The cast is highly detailed with a textured surface. Excellent condition.
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.

Bugatti was unique among modernist sculptors in focusing on depictions of wild animals.  So fascinated was he by this subject that he worked primarily outdoors at the Jardin Zoologique in Antwerp after moving to the city in 1907 so that he could study the nuances of animal behavior.  He rendered his figures in plastiline, a typical Italian modeling clay, using strokes of his thumbs, and working with the Hébrard foundry with the aid of chief founder Albino Palazzolo, who cast the finished works in bronze. 

In Petit jaguar marchant, Bugatti encapsulates the streamlined power and slinking, feline gait of the big cat in a whimsical, yet entirely naturalistic composition. The artist's meticulous attention to the nuances of musculature and movement, as well as his infinitely subtler references to emotion and personality, betrays his respect and awe for the beast immortalized here. In doing so, Bugatti has fulfilled his promise that, "I will work with all my strength to go as high as I am able. I hope and I believe that I will succeed in creating a work such as no other animal sculptor ancient or modern has achieved before" (quoted in Phillipe Dejean, op. cit., p. 141).

Louis Comfort Tiffany, arguably America's most famous designer, was an passionate admirer of Rembrandt Bugatti and once owned both the present work and the previous lot, Petit chat à l'écuelle.