Joseph Pollet

Overall the condition of the ivory is good, with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age and handling. There are a number of naturally occurring stable hairline splits to the ivory (visible as thin dark lines in the catalogue photograph). The figure is carved separately to the ivory ground - a joint is visible here, together with a thin piece of ivory, which has been slotted beneath the drapery on the figure's proper right side (to which there are a few glue residues and possibly a slight loss). There appear to be a few fillings to minor lacunae at the base and top of the spine. There is a small plug to the top of the head and the star may be reattached. There is minor wear to the wood base, including some minor splitting consistent with the material.
"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."

When Joseph Pollet first exhibited his plaster version of Une heure de la nuit at the Paris Salon in 1848 it was an instant success, with critics and crowds alike delighting in its elegance and skilful execution. Right away, Pollet was inundated with requests for the right to produce editions of the model. The Empress Eugenié procured a small version, the Ministry of the Interior commissioned a marble version, while another marble version was exhibited at the Louvre and is now in the Museum of the Second Empire at the Palais de Compiègne.

When a marble version was exhibited alongside its bronze reduction at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855, the renowned art critic and poet, Théophile Gautier, noted that the marmoreal whites and transparency ‘avec leur mica scintillant’ were much better suited to the model’s subject than bronze. Ivory takes this striking effect even further.

Joseph Pollet, born in Palermo to French parents, quickly gained recognition as a sculptor once he moved to Paris and began exhibiting at the annual Paris Salon. He received medals in 1847, 1848 and 1851. In 1856, he was awarded the cross of the Legion of Honour. At this point, he began receiving commissions from the Royal Court, the clergy and several French cultural institutions. Une heure de la nuit, however, remains his most popular and celebrated model. With its magical combination of beauty, elegance and whimsy, it is a remarkably accomplished sculpture. The present work, as a rare ivory version, enhances its particular effect of charm and finesse.

RELATED LITERATURE
R.H.R. Randall Jr., Masterpieces of ivory from the Walters Art Gallery, London, 1985, pp. 13 and 283; E. Bénézit, Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs, Gründ, 1999, vol. xi, pp. 108-109