Jean Alexandre Joseph Falguière

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some light veining to the marble consistent with the material, including around the abdomen. There are several naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, including: to the back of the neck, to the lower back and buttocks, to the proper left breast, to the lower abdomen on the proper left side, to the proper left hip, and to the proper left thigh. Many of the inclusions are filled. There are minor chips and abrasions to the bottom edge of the base. The column is in good condition with some dirt and wear, including some chips and abrasions around the edges, and some filled open veins. There is an area of restoration to one of the rings on the lower part of the column. The column is composed of two sections.
"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."

It is in his sensual representations of the female nude that Falguière has probably become best known. They were invariably the centre pieces of his Salon exhibits throughout the 1880s and 1890s, and it was his figure of Diana, exhibited at the Salon in 1882, which brought Falguière his lasting recognition.

The present marble clearly derives from Diana, ranking alongside it as one of the finest of these full-length figures. Probably dating to the mid-1880s, La Chanson represents an equally sophisticated treatment of the female nude, with a similarly elegant pose to the arch of the woman's body as she lifts up her glass. Another version of this model was sold at Sotheby's London on 26 November 1998 (lot 110).

RELATED LITERATURE
S. Lami, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs de l'ecole française au dix-neuvième siècle, Paris 1914, (ed.) 1970, vol. II, p. 331