Lot 55
  • 55

LUCIENNE-ANTOINETTE HEUVELMANS | La Jeunesse et l'Amour (Youth and Love) from Les Illusions et le Regret (Illusions and Regret)

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • La Jeunesse et l'Amour (Youth and Love) from Les Illusions et le Regret (Illusions and Regret)
  • signed: L. HEUVELMANS and inscribed: Grand prix de Rome / original en marbre
  • white marble
  • 71 by 51.5cm., 28 by 20 1/4 in.

Condition

Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There are several naturally occurring inclusions to the marble, most of which have been filled, including to: the right hand figure's face, the proper right arm and armpit of the left hand figure, the proper right arm of the right hand figure, the fruit in the basket, the basket, the base on the left side, and the base behind the winged figure's proper right foot. Some of the fill to the inclusions appears slightly yellowish. There are a few small chips along the edges of the base.
"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."

Catalogue Note

This elegant marble is imbued with the early Art Deco aesthetic. Born in Paris to Belgian parents, Lucienne-Antoinette Heuvelmans was among the most distinguished female sculptors of her day. Having studied under Laurent Marqueste, Emmanuel Hannaux and Denys Puech, Heuvelmans began exhibiting at the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs Français de Paris and was awarded an Honourable Mention in 1907. In 1911, she became the first woman to win the coveted Prix de Rome, granting her three years' study in the Eternal City. Heuvelmans went on to establish a successful career, receiving the Légion d'Honneur in 1926. Her specialism was in religious and mythological subjects.

The present, rare marble shows the two central figures from Heuvelmans' monumental stone group Les Illusions et le Regret (Illusions and Regret), which the sculptor executed for the city of Paris in 1925, for the occasion of the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. The present model exists in several bronze versions.

RELATED LITERATURE
V. Arwas, Art Deco Sculpture, London, 1992, p. 237