REMBRANDT BUGATTI | Petites antilopes goudou ou "caresse"

Bonabeau Collection, Paris (acquired in 1921)
Alain Delon, Paris (and sold: Sotheby's, London, April 4, 1990, lot 267)
Acquired at the above sale

Andre Salmon, "Rembrandt Bugatti," in Art et Décoration, vol. 34, Paris, November 1, 1913, illustration of the original plaster
Jacques Chalom des Cordes & Véronique Fromanger, Rembrandt Bugatti Catalogue Raisonné, Paris, 1987, illustration of another cast pp. 266-67
Edward Horswell, Rembrandt Bugatti, Life in Sculpture, London, 2004, n.n., illustration of another cast pp. 154-55
Véronique Fromanger, Rembrandt Bugatti, sculpteur, répertoire monographique, Paris, 2009, no. 270, illustration of another cast p. 321
Véronique Fromanger, Rembrandt Bugatti, sculpteur, répertoire monographique, Paris, 2016, no. 273, illustration of another cast p. 355

The work is in excellent condition. Attractive reddish brown patina. There is some very minor rubbing to the patina along the extreme edges of the bronze, most notably on the base of the tails on the antelope. Otherwise, fine.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In an explosive career that spanned little more than a dozen years, Rembrandt Bugatti emerged as a singular figure whose distinct, powerfully modern vision bridged traditional sculptural and animalier devices with innovative methodologies. Bugatti was unique among modernist sculptors in his near-exclusive focus on animal imagery. Bugatti, like the great painters of animals George Stubbs and Eugène Delacroix, "would bring to this tradition his own vision, empathy with animals and truth to observation. He would surpass the genre of ‘animal art' and resist all definition as an artist, other than as one who forged his own vision and style. He used animal subjects at once for their own sake and as vehicles for the expression of emotion and the celebration of aesthetic form. He remained aloof from both the avant-garde and the conservative trends of his time. The distinctive, deeply rewarding…oeuvre that he created remains unique in art history” (Edward Horswell, Rembrandt Bugatti: Life in Sculpture, London, 2004, p. 13). With his progressive stylization which balanced abstraction and figuration in a novel way, Bugatti’s innate talents are displayed to superb effect in this intimate representation of two antelopes.  

The renowned French actor Alain Delon began collecting art in earnest in the 1980s with a particular focus on the sculpture of Rembrandt Bugatti, an artist who held a special appeal for him. Delon was one of the great movie stars in the golden age of cinema, coming to international prominence for his role as Tom Ripley in the original 1960 adaptation by René Clément of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley. He was the recipient of an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 for his lifetime achievements in the field.

This work is recorded in the archives of the Rembrandt Bugatti Conservatoire, Paris.