- 419
Émile-Antoine Bourdelle
Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 USD
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Description
- Émile-Antoine Bourdelle
- Sappho (deuxième état)
- Inscribed © By Bourdelle, dated 1887-1925, numbered no. 1 and stamped with the foundry mark F.C.
- Bronze
- Height: 82 7/8 in.
- 210.5 cm
Provenance
Rhodia Dufet Bourdelle (the artist's daughter)
Jeffrey H. Loria & Co., Inc., New York
Private Collection (acquired from the above)
Jeffrey H. Loria & Co., Inc., New York
Private Collection (acquired from the above)
Literature
Maximilien Gauthier, Bourdelle, Paris, 1951, illustration of another cast pl. XX
Pierre Descargues, Bourdelle, Paris, 1954, illustration of another cast p. 74
Emmanuel Auricoste, Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 1955, illustration of another cast pl. 55
Ionel Jianou & Michel Dufet, Bourdelle, Paris, 1978, no. 61, p. 73
Peter Cannon-Brookes, Emile Antoine Bourdelle: An Illustrated Commentary, London, 1983, illustration of another cast p. 104
Pierre Descargues, Bourdelle, Paris, 1954, illustration of another cast p. 74
Emmanuel Auricoste, Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, Paris, 1955, illustration of another cast pl. 55
Ionel Jianou & Michel Dufet, Bourdelle, Paris, 1978, no. 61, p. 73
Peter Cannon-Brookes, Emile Antoine Bourdelle: An Illustrated Commentary, London, 1983, illustration of another cast p. 104
Condition
The bronze is sound with an attractive green patina. There is light wear to the patina on the most protruding or exposed areas, such as the figure's neck and left shoulder, the drapes of her skirt and the side of her head. There is a light build-up of dust in the crevices. A close inspection reveals a small scratch to the patina on the figure's knee and a speck of white media on her toe. Otherwise, apart from some thin superficial surface scratches around the edge of the base, this work is in very good 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.
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.
Catalogue Note
At age 32, Bourdelle attracted the admiration of Auguste Rodin whose studio he joined in 1893. As Rodin's colleague he translated the master's clay models into finished marbles, and in the process he developed a complete understanding of the master's methods and philosophy. Bourdelle was no mere assistant; Rodin corresponded with him on equal terms about his creative process, once writing to him, "It was Michelangelo who liberated me from academicism."
Sappho is one of Bourdelle’s best known compositions. Originally conceived in 1887, this monumental version was first cast in 1924. One of his monumental casts of this subject was exhibited in at the Jardin des Tuileries during his 1931 retrospective at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. Peter Cannon-Brookes discusses the particular success of the present work: “One of the most architectonic of Bourdelle’s sculptures, the composition is developed wit the certainty of an architectural complex, and the sharply defined volumes, be they the simple bronze forms of the interpenetrating spaces, are linked together with the utmost clarity.... Sappho is intensely modern in its treatment, and the reduction of many forms to symbols demonstrates his closeness to contemporary developments in abstract sculpture” (Peter Cannon-Brookes, op. cit., p. 102).
The present work is one of seven casts of this sculpture in its monumental form. Three other casts are in museum collections including Kunsthaus, Zurich; Wallraf-Richarts Museum, Cologne & Museumlann in Utrecht.
Sappho is one of Bourdelle’s best known compositions. Originally conceived in 1887, this monumental version was first cast in 1924. One of his monumental casts of this subject was exhibited in at the Jardin des Tuileries during his 1931 retrospective at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. Peter Cannon-Brookes discusses the particular success of the present work: “One of the most architectonic of Bourdelle’s sculptures, the composition is developed wit the certainty of an architectural complex, and the sharply defined volumes, be they the simple bronze forms of the interpenetrating spaces, are linked together with the utmost clarity.... Sappho is intensely modern in its treatment, and the reduction of many forms to symbols demonstrates his closeness to contemporary developments in abstract sculpture” (Peter Cannon-Brookes, op. cit., p. 102).
The present work is one of seven casts of this sculpture in its monumental form. Three other casts are in museum collections including Kunsthaus, Zurich; Wallraf-Richarts Museum, Cologne & Museumlann in Utrecht.