Emile Antoine Bourdelle

Galerie Tamenaga, Tokyo
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Light minor scratches to the patina, beneath the hands of the figure, probably due to handling and transportation. Otherwise, the patina is even and the work is in overall good condition.
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A pioneer of monumental sculpture, Emile Antoine Bourdelle dedicates the present sculpture to the great German pianist and composer Ludwig van Beethoven. As a tribute to this Romantic genius and to the art of music, Bourdelle seeks to condense the force and power of Beethoven's symphonies and sonatas through stark materiality of form and sleek undulating lines. The grand presence of this sculpture is not only highlighted by its size, but also by its lyrical subject matter.

The mythical status surrounding Bourdelle's sculptures of Beethoven; more than eighty works in total, demonstrates his keen engagement and devotion to this turbulent and iconic figure. Whilst leafing through a book on the composer, Bourdelle was struck by his resemblance to him, and instantly began to be enthralled by his music.  Bourdelle narrates that '... every cry from this deaf man who was listening to God struck straight to my soul. Sweat dripped from Beethoven's forehead on to my bruised heart'.  This close connection between the artist and Beethoven is evident in this work and further emphasized by its poetic inscription 'mon domaine c'est l'air, quand le vent se lève, mon ame tourbillonne' ('my world is air, when the wind starts blowing, my soul swirls').