Alfred Boucher

Overall the condition of the bronze is excellent with minor dirt and wear to the patina. There are two light white marks to the back of the proper left wing. The casting joint at the upper proper right warm is slightly visible.
"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."

Boucher created some of the most delicate and alluring nudes of the late 19^th Century. They range from the Rodinesque Volubilis showing a dreaming girl emerging from a roughly hewn surround, to the refined ethereality of the present model. L'Hirondelle Blessée was exhibited at the Salon of 1898 to great acclaim. This sensitive model has been said to evoke Carrier-Belleuse' Hébé endormie and to embody the grace and elegance of Boucher's earlier sculpture, Volubilis. The model is particularly famous today as it was reworked by Damien Hirst for his 2008 marble Anatomy of an Angel, sold in these rooms on 15/09/08 for £1,071,650.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Piette, Alfred Boucher 1850-1934 "sculpteur – humaniste", ex. cat. Musée Paul Dubois – Alfred Boucher, Nogent-sur-Seine, 2000, p. 52, no. 46