MARK MATVEEVICH ANTOKOLSKY | La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty)

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are a few small nicks, including to the tip of the nose. There is minor greening in areas, notably to the drapery below the proper right shoulder. The bust is cast separately from the pillow and background, and a original joint is slightly visible. There are a few slight scratches, including to the chest. There is a small brownish spot to the chin. The bronze is hollowed and open at the back. It does not stand up without a support.
"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."

This serene bronze appears to be a unique cast of Antokolsky's Sleeping Beauty. It is a work characteristic of the sculptor's late period, when he turned away from masculine, heroic subjects towards a focus on delicate femininity. Influenced by his fin-de-siècle surroundings in Paris, Antokolsky's works take on a more mysterious and symbolist character. The present model depicts a beautiful young woman whose head, shown in profile, is resting on a pillow. The pillow is adorned with foliage and coats of arms and framed by Gothic crockets, which place the composition within an ethereal, legendary setting. The model was exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900, and later featured in the exhibition Artistes de l'Académie Impériale de Petrograd at the Galerie Magellan, Paris, in 1921. A plaster version of Sleeping Beauty is preserved in the Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Saint Petersburg. The Jewish Russian sculptor Mark Matveevich Antokolsky (1845-1902) was born in Vilnius in present day Lithuania, and attended the Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg in 1863. He emigrated to Paris in 1881, having previously lived for some time in Berlin. Antokolsky was best known for his historical bronze subjects, and a statue of Spinoza (1881) is still considered his chef d'oeuvre. Other historical works include Ivan the Terrible (1871) and Peter the Great (1872). Antokolsky exhibited at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1878 to international acclaim, receiving the gold medal, the first prize in sculpture, as well as the Légion d'Honneur.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Glants, Where is my Home? The Art and Life of the Russian Jewish Sculptor Mark Antokolsky, 1843-1902, Plymouth, 2010, p. 300