Olin Levi Warner 1844-1896

In good condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A notable medallist and one of the first sculptors to bring the Beaux-Arts style to the attention of the American public, Warner was born to a Methodist minister in 1844 in Suffield, Connecticut.   He grew-up in New York and Vermont, eventually making enough money as a telegraph operator to move to Paris in 1869 where he studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and worked as an assistant for Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux.  When he returned to the U.S. three years later, he brought with him the French Beaux-Arts style.   
Although he struggled at first, a portrait bust of art dealer Daniel Cottier brought Warner valuable recognition in 1876.  In 1881, he created The Dancing Nymph, which was widely praised after it was shown at an annual exhibition of the Society of American Artists.  Warner's knowledge of anatomy and the classical spirit of his work were applauded even before the work was completed.  Under "Notes of the Fine Arts," the New York Times on 28 January 1881 reported his progress on the work. "There is not the slightest attempt, by drapery or accessory of any kind, to avoid the difficult problems of anatomy, pose, outline, and balance which such a subject insists upon having solved.  Mr. Warner has imparted to his statuette great purity and nobility of expression." 
Warner's later works include the design for the Columbian Exposition half-dollar, public works for state houses and portrait medallions of many of the important Indian Chiefs of the Great Plains and the Northwest.  His last commission was to design the bronze doors for the Library of Congress.  Unfortunately, the artist met an untimely end in 1896, when he was killed in a bicycle accident, having completed only one of the doors.