- 78
André Joseph Allar
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- André Joseph Allar
- Les adieux d’Alceste (The Goodbyes of Alcestis)
- signed: A. ALLAR
- white marble, on the original revolving wood base with brass mounts and metal wheels
Provenance
Jules Jaluzot (1834-1916), Paris, France;
his sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 27 November 1905, no. 41
his sale, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 27 November 1905, no. 41
Literature
L. Noet, Vie et oeuvre du sculpteur André Allar 1845-1926. Catalogue raisonné, p. 118, no. 47d
Condition
Overall the condition of the marble is very good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. Alcestis' proper right big toe is carved separately. There are a few losses to the boy's proper left toes. There are a few very minor chips, scratches and dirt marks. There is some veining to the marble, consistent with the material, in particular on the right side of the group. The wood base is functioning and is in good condition, with minor wear. There are a few knots and minor stable splitting, consistent with material.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Les adieux d’Alceste is one of André Joseph Allar's defining masterpieces. When the lifesize version of this marble was exhibited at the 1881 Paris Salon des artistes français (no. 3570) it received the prestigious médaille d'honneur and was immediately acquired by the French state for the Musée du Luxembourg (inv. no. RF 3871; LUX 3). The present marble is a supremely rare reduced-size version of Allar's model. It displays all the qualities for which Les adieux d’Alceste was most admired when it was first exhibited in 1881: compositional elegance, a subtle play of expertly carved surface textures, and emotional depth.
Allar's marble portrays a scene from one of the great Greek tragedies, Alcestis by Euripides, written in 438 B.C.E.. Pelias, father of Alcestis, declares that his daughter will only marry a suitor who can succeed in yoking a lion and a boar to a chariot: a formidable task. Madly in love with Alcestis, the young hero Admetus takes up the challenge, and, with the help of the god Apollo, succeeds in winning Alcestis' hand. Events take a dark turn, however, when Admetus forgets to make a sacrifice to Artemis during his marriage festivities, and, arriving at the bridal chamber, discovers that it is infested with venemous snakes: an omen of impending death. Admetus learns that he can only appease the gods by finding someone to die in his place. Yet the only person willing is his beloved Alcestis.
InLes adieux d’Alceste, Allar presents the moment that Alcestis passes from this world into the next. The beautiful Alcestis reclines in a Klismos chair, her head dropping onto her shoulder as she expels her last breath from her parted lips. Flanking her are her two young children, who reach out to her, imploring their mother not to leave them orphaned. Allar succeeds in capturing the realisation on the part of Alcestis' children that their mother is dying and that the natural bond between them is dissipating. Visually, he conveys the sense of hopelessness enshrined in the words of Alcestis' son in Eurpides' play:
Oh, what has happened? Mummy has gone away,
And left me and will not come back any more!
Father, I shall be lonely all the day ...
Look! look! Her eyes ... and her arms not like before,
How they lie ...
Mother! Oh, speak a word!
Answer me, answer me, Mother! It is I.
I am touching your face. It is I, your little bird.
Allar's choice of subject, and his ability to convincingly convey a sense of intense emotional pain through the faces and gestures of his protagonists, can be understood better in the context of his own life. Tragically his wife Françoise died young, leaving him alone to raise his two children Julie and Joseph. It is, perhaps, significant that in Les adieux d’Alceste Allar chooses to portray Alcestis' son as an infant and her daughter as a young girl, reversing their relationship in Euripides' play, but reflecting the ages of his own children.
Les adieux d’Alceste presents two of the greatest themes in art: love and death. Whilst this tragic story conveys great sadness, it is also a testament to the strength of conjugal and filial love. The success of the model can be attributed to Allar's ability to present this message in a balanced and stimulating composition. A beautiful arabesque curve snakes up from Alcestis' projecting sandal, through her leg, to her son's outstretched arm and culminating in her tilted head. All of this is contained within a satisfying pyramoidal composition, which is weighted in the elegant Klismos chair. Alcestis' languid pose, with crossed legs, and head resting on her shoulder, is directly inspired by one of the greatest Roman antiquities, the Vatican Cleopatra.
The present marble is witness to some superb passages of carving: note the vast expanse of undulating drapes, layered over the crushed folds of Alcestis' skirt, which falls gracefully to the floor. A delightful play of differing surface textures, as flesh and hair press against cloth, which falls against the smooth wood of the chair, is perfectly balanced by the idealised classicising facial types. The high quality of this group, which would have been an important private commission, is enhanced by the condition of the marble, and the presence of the original revolving wood base. Jules Jaluzot, who is recorded as having owned the marble, was a prominent 19th-century entrepreneur, best known for founding the famous Printemps department store, which still operates today on the boulevard Haussmann in Paris.
The lifesize Salon version of Les adieux d’Alceste is currently on loan to the Mairie (Town Hall) of Lisieux in Normandy.
Allar's marble portrays a scene from one of the great Greek tragedies, Alcestis by Euripides, written in 438 B.C.E.. Pelias, father of Alcestis, declares that his daughter will only marry a suitor who can succeed in yoking a lion and a boar to a chariot: a formidable task. Madly in love with Alcestis, the young hero Admetus takes up the challenge, and, with the help of the god Apollo, succeeds in winning Alcestis' hand. Events take a dark turn, however, when Admetus forgets to make a sacrifice to Artemis during his marriage festivities, and, arriving at the bridal chamber, discovers that it is infested with venemous snakes: an omen of impending death. Admetus learns that he can only appease the gods by finding someone to die in his place. Yet the only person willing is his beloved Alcestis.
InLes adieux d’Alceste, Allar presents the moment that Alcestis passes from this world into the next. The beautiful Alcestis reclines in a Klismos chair, her head dropping onto her shoulder as she expels her last breath from her parted lips. Flanking her are her two young children, who reach out to her, imploring their mother not to leave them orphaned. Allar succeeds in capturing the realisation on the part of Alcestis' children that their mother is dying and that the natural bond between them is dissipating. Visually, he conveys the sense of hopelessness enshrined in the words of Alcestis' son in Eurpides' play:
Oh, what has happened? Mummy has gone away,
And left me and will not come back any more!
Father, I shall be lonely all the day ...
Look! look! Her eyes ... and her arms not like before,
How they lie ...
Mother! Oh, speak a word!
Answer me, answer me, Mother! It is I.
I am touching your face. It is I, your little bird.
Allar's choice of subject, and his ability to convincingly convey a sense of intense emotional pain through the faces and gestures of his protagonists, can be understood better in the context of his own life. Tragically his wife Françoise died young, leaving him alone to raise his two children Julie and Joseph. It is, perhaps, significant that in Les adieux d’Alceste Allar chooses to portray Alcestis' son as an infant and her daughter as a young girl, reversing their relationship in Euripides' play, but reflecting the ages of his own children.
Les adieux d’Alceste presents two of the greatest themes in art: love and death. Whilst this tragic story conveys great sadness, it is also a testament to the strength of conjugal and filial love. The success of the model can be attributed to Allar's ability to present this message in a balanced and stimulating composition. A beautiful arabesque curve snakes up from Alcestis' projecting sandal, through her leg, to her son's outstretched arm and culminating in her tilted head. All of this is contained within a satisfying pyramoidal composition, which is weighted in the elegant Klismos chair. Alcestis' languid pose, with crossed legs, and head resting on her shoulder, is directly inspired by one of the greatest Roman antiquities, the Vatican Cleopatra.
The present marble is witness to some superb passages of carving: note the vast expanse of undulating drapes, layered over the crushed folds of Alcestis' skirt, which falls gracefully to the floor. A delightful play of differing surface textures, as flesh and hair press against cloth, which falls against the smooth wood of the chair, is perfectly balanced by the idealised classicising facial types. The high quality of this group, which would have been an important private commission, is enhanced by the condition of the marble, and the presence of the original revolving wood base. Jules Jaluzot, who is recorded as having owned the marble, was a prominent 19th-century entrepreneur, best known for founding the famous Printemps department store, which still operates today on the boulevard Haussmann in Paris.
The lifesize Salon version of Les adieux d’Alceste is currently on loan to the Mairie (Town Hall) of Lisieux in Normandy.