Attributed to Barthélemy Prieur (1536-1611) French, circa 1600

the hair finely worked in curls, a flute (fore-shortened) in his left hand, a hole in his right, on red marble socle, fine brown patina with remains of translucent lacquer

David Peel & Co. 1971;
Christie's London 13th December 1985, lot 132

David Peel & Co. Ltd., From Riccio to Gibson, An Exhibition of European Works of Art, May 5 - May 21, 1971, no. 6.

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good, with a lovely golden-brown patina. Remains of a translucent reddish lacquer exist on the top half of the body; the bottom half (with the exception of the area between the legs) is rubbed. There are also remainders of a dark red-brown lacquer and minor verdigris around the neck area. There are some minor pitting or dents and some good, early plugs, including one on the top of the left foot. The implement in his right hand is lacking.
"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."

The model of this young flute player is inspired by Verrocchio's Putto with a dolphin, made for the gardens of the Medici Villa and placed in 1555 on the fountain of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The present figure belongs to a group of small cabinet bronzes, formerly described as Italo-Flemish, and ascribed by Weihrauch to the Flemish 'Master of the Genre Figures'. This master's oeuvre comprised a whole series of small-scale bronzes, nudes or genre subjects, often occupied with activities of everyday life.

Based on the research of Radcliffe and Jestaz, the origin of this group of bronzes was soon considered to be France rather than the Netherlands, the subjects and compositions being typical for the French Mannerist style of the end of the 16^th and the beginnig of the 17^th century, and the French Sculptor Barthelémy Prieur (1536-1611) was suggested as a possible author for these statuettes. Their subjects correspond to the description of a group of bronzes listed in André Le Notre's posthumous inventory from 1693 such as a Woman Braiding her hair, a Woman cutting her Nails, a crouching Woman with a micturating child, a Praying boy and a Dancing Mercury.

More positive evidence was provided by a reference to a bronze in the collection of the ornemanist Jacques Androuet du Cerceau, a friend of  Prieur, which supported an attribution of  the group to Barthelémy Prieur: une petite figure de cuivre faicte de la main de Mr Barthelemy, laquelle figure est une femme qui rogne les ongles de ses pieds. (R. Seelig-Teuwen, op. cit., p. 3708).

Indeed, the lively movement and the elongated proportions of the child's body, the sweet smiling face, as well as the elegantly modelled legs and arms ending in fine hands and feet link this bronze to the style of the School of Fontainebleau. Wengraf stated similarities with Prieur's Mercury mentioned in Le Notre's inventory (no. 350): 'une autre figure de bronze representant Mercure jouant de la fluste, posee sur son pied d'ebeyne prisee 40 L'. (Estate of Peter Sharp, Sotheby's New York, Sotheb's 13 Jan. 1994, lot 48, height 47cm). Another version of the Flute player by Prieur is known in the Quentin collection (cf. op. cit, p. 290).

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Guiffrey, 'Testament et inventaire après décès de André Le Nostre' in Bulletin de la Société de l'histoire de l'Art français, 1911, p. 254; G. Brière & M. Lamy, L'inventaire de Barthelémy Prieur, Sculpteur du Roi', in Bulletin Historique et Littéraire de la Société du Protestantisme Français, (April - Juin) 1949; R. Seelig-Teuwen, 'Kavalier und Magd. Zu Barthelémy Prieurs Bronzestatuetten', in Weltkunst 23, 1 December 1991, pp. 3706 - 3709; M. Leithe-Jasper & P. Wengraf, European Bronzes from the Quentin Collection, exh.cat. New York Sept.2004-January 2005, pp. 290-293, cat. no. 34