Julien Dillens

presented to Dr. Émile Dubois-Havenith, Brussels, by the members of the International Medical Conference in Brussels, 1899,
and thence by descent to the present owner

Overall the condition of the bronze is good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are areas of wear to the patina, including to the back of the neck. There are a few small casting flaws, including to the inside of the arms. There are a few small lacunae to the edges of the cushion. There is some green paint to the back right corner of the cushion. There are specks of dirt to the lower back. There are small losses to the wood base and naturally-occurring splitting, and a few visible original joints.
"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."

Julien Dillens' Kneeling Nude was directly inspired by Lorenzo Bartolini's La Fiducia in Dio of 1834-5 (marble, Museo Poldi Pezzoli, inv. no. 1117). Dillens, who was trained at the Brussels Académie between 1861 and 1874, had worked under Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse on the sculptures for the Brussels Bourse in the early 1870's, and was subsequently employed as an assistant in Rodin's studio. The Kneeling Nude owes its inception to Dillens' four years spent as a Prix de Rome winner in Italy from 1877. His choice of La Fiducia in Dio as the basis for the present model was a natural one; his first major sculpture, Une Enigme, was also a seated nude female. The Kneeling Nude is a more idealised figure than her predecessor; realism has been replaced with an emotional intensity and a quiet piety. The plaster model for Kneeling Nude was exhibited at the 1885 Exposition Universelle in Antwerp and the original marble is held in the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels (inv. no. 6783). This rare lifesize bronze version is likely to have been acquired directly from the artist's studio.

RELATED LITERATURE
Julien Dillens. Exposition de ses oeuvres dans la Salle Forst, exhib. cat. Salle Forst, Antwerp, 1906, p. 26; J. van Lennep et al, La sculpture Belge au 19ème siecle, exhib. cat. Générale de Banque et les auteurs, Brussels, 1990, pp. 367-72; J. van Lennep, Catalogue de la sculpture. Artistes nés entre 1750 et 1882, cat. Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1992, p. 163; C. Engelen and M. Marx, Beeldhouwkunst in België vanaf 1830, Brussels, 2002, vol. I, pp. 595-8