Louis Dejean

The family of Louis Dejean;
thence by descent

Overall, the condition of the marble is excellent, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is minor veining to the marble, consistent with the material, including to the hips. There are small chips and abrasions to the edges of the base. There is a small orange mark on the right side of the base. There are a few small naturally occurring inclusions, including a filled inclusion to the proper left upper arm. There are a few specks of dirt to the upper back and to the proper left arm.
"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."

Dejean was  a member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and the Salon d'Automne. After a year of study at l’École des Arts Décoratifs, he began work under Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) and became a prominent member of the Bande à Schnegg, a group of disciples of the great master led by Lucien Schegg and including François Pompon, Léon Drivier, Charles Despiau and Alfred Jean Halou. Following the First World War, Dejean became known for his stylish nudes with rounded forms, a style which is exemplified by the present model. 

A direct comparison of the present marble with lot 99, which comprises the 'studio plaster' of this model, exposes several of Dejean’s conscious modifications; the tree trunk becomes cloth, the subject’s face is tilted upward, and the contrapposto of the plaster model is fractionally adjusted to raise the right side of the subject’s body.

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Bénézit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Grund, 1999, vol. 4, p. 361; P. Elliott, After Rodin: French Figurative Sculpture 1900-1940 from the Marjon Collection, Perth, 2013, p.72, no.31