Alfred Boucher

Overall the condition of the marble is very good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is veining to the marble consistent with the material, including a vein running through the buttocks and proper right leg. There are some dirt marks, including to the proper right legs(particularly the lower leg), buttocks, and to the hair and ear. There are some faint orange marks at the top in the sky.
"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 exhibited a relief of La philosophie de l'histoire at the Salon in 1898 and again at Exposition Universelle of 1900. The girl looks wistfully out over the rocks to sea where a sail boat can just be seen carved in very low relief, departing towards the horizon. As with many of his other conceptions, Boucher varied and re-worked the model several times. Another version is in the collection of the Musée Paul Dubois – A. Boucher in Nogent-sur-Seine. The figure was later adapted in bronze for the monument to Auguste Burdeau (1851-1894), a professor of philosophy and a French republican politician. The present marble is an exceptionally large version of the model, and differs from other variants in that the sky above the sea extends to the limit of the relief, rather than being finished with a moulding.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Piette, Alfred Boucher 1850-1934 "sculpteur – humaniste", ex. cat. Musée Paul Dubois – Alfred Boucher, Nogent-sur-Seine, 2000, no. 49, p. 55; J. Piette, Alfred Boucher 1850-1934: L'oeuvre sculpté, catalogue raisonné, Paris, 2014, pp. 238-244, no. A56