Jean Pierre Dantan, dit Dantan Jeune, 1800-1869 Le compositeur Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

 

C. Gatti, Verdi nelle immagine, 1943, reproduit p.159 ;
F. Lesure, Collection musicale André Meyer, Abbeville, 1973, reproduit pl. 250 ;
Ralph, 'An Evening at Verdi's 1866' in M. Conati, Encounters with Verdi, 1984, pp.44-53 ;
P. Sorel, Les Dantan du musée Carnavalet, portraits-charges sculptés de l'époque romantique, Paris, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, janv.-fév. 1986, n° 301 ;
J. Petit, P. Sorel, Dantan Jeune, Musée Carnavalet, Paris, 1989, p.109, n°72 ;
Mary Jane Matz, Verdi, 1993, p.509

Overall the condition of the plaster is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The proper left arm may be reatached, it is slightly loose and there are losses at both ends. There are further losses to his proper left leg foot and book underneath the foot. There are a few chips to the edges of the base including a larger chip to the bottom left corner on the left side. There is a loss to the right corner of the keyboard. There may be further restorations, including to the neck.
"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."

Il s'agit de la célèbre caricature de Verdi, présentée comme une surprise lors d'une soirée en l'honneur du compositeur à Paris le 14 février 1866. Verdi donna cette fête pour célébrer le buste que Dantan avait fait de lui pour l'Opéra Garnier, et la surprise fut totale lorsque le sculpteur présenta cette caricature. Verdi raconta les faits deux jours plus tard : "Le buste, tout le monde dit qu'il était vraiment bien, mais Dantan me surprit avec cette caricature, qui me plait d'autant plus. Elle [me] représente [comme] un lion assis, la queue entre les jambes, jouant du piano avec une patte et écrivant un opéra etc. de l'autre." Les opéras représentés sur le bureau de Verdi sont Rigoletto, Il trovatore (décrit comme "il trouve à tort") et La forza del destino. Adelina Patti, Tamberlick et Ralph de L'art musical, tous présents à la soirée, rapportèrent ce fameux évènement. De retour à St Agata, la famille Verdi plaça la caricature en évidence dans la chambre de Giuseppina.  Une version de ce portrait charge est conservée au musée Carnavalet (n°inv. S1383). 


This is a famous caricature of Verdi, which was unveiled by Dantan as a surprise, during  a soirée given by Verdi his honour in Paris on 14 February 1866.  Verdi gave the party to mark a marble bust of the composer that Dantan had made for the Opéra, at which Dantan unexpectedly unveiled this caricature.   Verdi reported the occasion in a letter two days later: "The bust, everyone, says is truly fine, but Dantan surprised me with the caricature, which I find even finer.  It depicts [me as] a seated lion, with its tail between its legs, playing the piano with one paw, while writing operas etc. with the other...".   Among the operas depicted on Verdi's desk are Rigoletto, Il trovatore (described as "Il trouve à tort") and La forza del destino. The soirée included Adelina Patti, Tamberlick and Ralph of L'art musicale, who reported the glittering occasion.   Back home at St Agata's, the Verdis placed the caricature prominently in Giuseppina's room.