19th and 20th Century Sculpture

19th and 20th Century Sculpture

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 61. L'Enfant au Canard (Boy with a Duck).

Lot Closed

December 9, 02:00 PM GMT

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Henry Dasson

French

1825 - 1896


L'Enfant au Canard (Boy with a Duck)

signed: Henry Dasson

white marble, on a red marble base with ormolu mounts

63cm., 24 3/4 in. overall

The renowned Parisian maker of gilt-bronze mounted furniture, Henry Dasson, began his career as a bronze sculptor. Occasionally marbles with his signature have appeared on the art market. It is likely that these were made in his workshop at 106, rue Vielle du Temple, which specialised in the production of bronze artifacts and clocks. Dasson's success was such that he was made a Cheval de la Légion d'honneur in 1883 and was awarded the Grand Prix Artistique at the Paris 1889 Exposition Universelle.

This charming composition was also executed in bronze and appears to be inspired by a series of engravings of children capturing and caging birds by François Boucher (1703-1770). The sumptuous marble and ormolu base is characteristic of Dasson's specialism. Another marble version of the present model on a similar base was sold at Christie's New York on 24 April 2001 (lot 301).