19th & 20th Century European Sculpture

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Lot 54
  • 54

Christophe Fratin French, 1800-1864

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Description

  • Christophe Fratin
  • Ours et Crocodile (a bear and crocodile)

  • stamped: FRATIN

  • bronze, dark brown patina

Catalogue Note

This rare model of a bear and crocodile is one of the many groups of bears which Fratin modelled. His sale catalogues of 1849-1864 included around 40 models of bears. Some of these bears have a satirising humour as they undertake human tasks such as drawing teeth. Here the lounging bear, leaning on a crocodile, mimics the pose and dignity of a classical river god.

RELATED LITERATURE
The Bear Bronzes of Christophe Fratin, pp. 3-7