In the Manner of Pierre-Joseph Michel (Nancy 1737–1812 Paris), French, Late 18th/Early 19th Century

Sotheby's Paris, 9 November 2012, lot 147;

Where acquired by Aso O. Tavitian.

Little is known of the life and work of Pierre-Joseph Michel (1737-1759), the brother of the famous sculptor Clodion (1738-1814). Originally from Nancy, he was trained in the Paris workshop of his uncle, Lambert-Sigisbert Adam (1700-1759) like his younger brother.

Some similarities in the facial type and drapery of this work can be found in the marble figure of Euterpe by Michel that is in the collection of the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin (inv. no. 1968. 15)..

RELATED LITERATURE

G. Scherf, A. Poulet, Clodion 1738 -1814, cat. exp. Paris, Musée du Louvre 1992, pp. 396-400, no. 91 and fig. 216.;

G. Scherf, Clodion et la sculpture française de la fin du XVIIIe siècle, Actes du colloque, Paris 1992, p. 30.