Jesús Fructuoso Contreras 1866-1902 L' Éveil

Jésus Fructuoso Contreras was born in Aguascalientes and studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico before moving to Paris.  He won a medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1889 and a grand prix in 1900.  He was a pupil of Manuel Noreña and executed many monuments and portrait busts for his native Mexico.  Discussing Contreras's work in 1921, Kineton Parkes observed, 'His work has Canova-like qualities, which render it unlike most modern sculpture on the American continent.'  This comment is certainly well illustrated by the present example of L'Éveil.

A slightly taller example (2  1/2  in.), sold, Sotheby's, London, July 8, lot 128 (£24,000).