Rembrandt Bugatti

Galerie A.A. Hébrard, Paris

Sale: Christie's, London, April 30, 1997

The Sladmore Gallery, London

Acquired from the above

Rassegna d'Arte Antica e Moderna, 1915, illustration of another cast

Mark Harvey, The Bronzes of Rembrandt Bugatti, London, 1979, nos. 38a & 38b, illustrations of another cast p. 41

Philippe Dejean, Jacques Boulay, Nadine Coleno & Uwe Hucke, Carlo-Rembrandt-Ettore-Jean Bugatti, New York, 1982, illustration of another cast p. 203

Jacques Chalom des Cordes & Véronique Fromanger des Cordes, Rembrandt Bugatti, Catalogue raisonné, Paris, 1987, illustration of another cast p. 244

Edward Horswell, Rembrandt Bugatti, Life in Sculpture, London, 2004, illustrated pp. 191-192

Véronique Fromanger, Rembrandt Bugatti - Sculpteur, Répertoire Monographique, Paris, 2009, no. 248, illustration of another cast p. 315

Very good condition. The bronze displays a dark brown patina that is gently rubbed at highpoints of the textured surface. There are no significant scratches or abrasions, and the sculpture is structurally sound.
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.

Draped in an elaborate garland of vines, Eléphant de l'Inde au feuillage is the most impressive among Bugatti's representations of this regal mammal.  According to Edward Horswell, this sculpture is Bugatti's "definitive statement of the meditative sobriety and dignity of the animal" (E. Horswell, op. cit., p. 193).

A cast of Eléphant de l'Inde au feuillage was once in the collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose stained glass lamps bear a design patterning similar to that of the vines.  Bugatti paid particular attention to the texture of this sculpture, using tools to create grooves on the animal's flesh and small pellets of clay to model the overlapping leaves.  The indentations and the general textural variations of the surface allowed for the richly nuanced patina that appears on the present bronze.  The modeling of the animal also evidences Bugatti's sensitivity to avant-garde design, particularly in his elegant positioning of the animal's trunk as it curls sleekly around the front leg.