François-Raoul Larche 1860-1912 nymph

bronze, brown to green patina, signed RAOUL LARCHE.

Larche had his sculptural training under Jouffroy and Falguière at the École des Beaux arts. He won the second prize Grand Prix de Rome in 1886, having made his debut at the Salon two years earlier. He was awarded many honors over the following thirty years and received an impressive crop of state and public commissions during his fairly brief career. His work was acclaimed at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle and was awarded the gold medal for sculpture.