French, circa 1785, attributed to Pierre Julien (1731-1804)

G. Grandjean, G. Scherf, Pierre Julien 1731-1804. Sculpteur du Roi, exh. cat. musée Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay, 2004, p.45, cat. 15 (ill.).

The terracotta finely modelled, in good condition overall, with some minor surface dirt in the crevices. Venus' proper left foot tip appears to have been restored, as well as Cupid's wings. The edges of the letter in Venus' hand may have been slightly restored. A few minor chips to the lower edges of the base.
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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."

A pupil of Guillaume II Coustou, Pierre Julien won first prize in sculpture in 1765. He trained for three years at the École royale des élèves protégés before attending the French Academy in Rome from 1768 to 1773. He excelled in delicate and elegant neoclassical sculpture, notably in the decoration of the Laiterie in Rambouillet, where the marble of a Girl Tending a Goat was displayed in 1787 (Louvre, inv.n° CC230). He made many small Arcadians groups, in the manner of Clodion, such as the present Vestal Reading a Letter to Cupid promising to remain silent. This new genre, in contrast to traditional historical and mythological subjects, explored a new psychological realm of the senses and was particularly popular at the end of the century amongst sophisticated collectors. The composition of our terracotta group is very close to Julien's figure of L'Amour silencieux (Silent Love) from 1785 (formerly Cailleux collection, op.cit); these two groups may form a pair.

Related literature:
M. Roland-Michel, V.Ducourau, Autour de Clodion: les terres cuites de la collection Paul Cailleux : musée Bonnat de Bayonne. cat. exp. musée des Beaux-Arts, Nancy, 1996, pp 23-24; J.D. Draper,G. Scherf, L'esprit créateur de Pigalle à Canova: terres cuites européennes, 1740-1840. cat. exp. musée du Louvre. Paris, 2003, pp 192-221, n°82, 86 et 128.