Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier

Jeannine Durand-Révillon, Charles Cordier, 1827-1905: L'Autre et L'Ailleurs, Paris, 2004, p. 168, for an example of the model

Overall in very good condition. With some minor rubbing, scattered scratches and oxidation points to cold-painted and silvered bronze surfaces. Surface dirt in crevices.
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.

One of the most innovative sculptors of the nineteenth century, Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier is distinguished by a personal fascination with ethnographic study and a mastery of color. His extraordinary vision was evident from his first exhibition at the Paris Salon in 1848, when Orientalist subjects were very much in vogue.  He developed an illustrious base of collectors, including Napoleon III, Empress Eugénie, Baron James de Rothschild, and Queen Victoria. Cordier created many popular busts and figures in the Orientalist genre, but also took an interest in European subjects, detailing national types and costumes. His interests made him an apt choice to be given the position of 'ethnographic sculptor' to the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle in 1851, a post that he held for 15 years.