拍品 84
  • 84

RAOUL FRANÇOIS LARCHE | "La Tempête et les Nuées"

估價
25,000 - 35,000 USD
Log in to view results
招標截止

描述

  • Raoul François Larche
  • "La Tempête et les Nuées"
  • signed RAOUL LARCHE, numbered 525J and impressed with foundry mark SIOT-PARIS 
  • patinated bronze
  • 22 5/8  x 13 1/8  x 16 7/8  in. (57.4 x 33.3 x 42.8 cm)
  • circa 1900

出版

Paul Adam, “Le Salons de 1896 – La Sculpture,” Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1896, p. 469 (for a description of an earlier model in the 1896 Salon)
Pierre Kjellberg, Les Bronzes Du XIX Siècle, Paris, 1987, p. 414
Alastair Duncan, Fin de Siècle Masterpieces from the Silverman Collection, New York, 1989, p. 179 (for a related model)
Dominique Renoux, “Raoul Larche, Statuaire (1860-1912),” Bulletin de la Société de l’Histoire de l’Art Français, 1989, pp. 252, fig. 5 (for a related model)
Paris: Belle Époque, 1880-1914, Essen, 1994, p. 473, fig. 581
Renate Ulmer, Art Nouveau: Symbolismus und Jugendstil in Frankreich, Stuttgart, 1999, p. 71, fig. 56
Victor Arwas, Art Nouveau: The French Aesthetic, London, 2002, p. 224

Condition

Overall in very good condition. The bronze detailing on this masterwork by Larche is particularly well-defined, bringing to life the fury of the tempest. The bronze surfaces with scattered minor abrasions, small accretions, and very light surface scratches, the largest scratch draped over the flying figure's proper right leg measuring approximately 3 inches wide, only visible upon close inspection and consistent with age and gentle handling. The recessed areas with some surface soiling, consistent with age. The patina with some expected light wear to the high relief of the sculpture, not visually distracting. An incredibly dynamic and complex work, an example of this sculpture is in the permanent collection of the Musée du Petit Palais, Paris.
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.

拍品資料及來源


The Storm and Her Clouds ("La Tempête et les Nuées") is a tour-de-force bronze in the round, and one of Francois- Raoul Larche’ finest portrayals of evocative figures. When an edition of this sculpture was first unveiled at the Paris Salon in 1896, it caused a sensation, as the public was astonished by such a commanding portrayal of female fury. Infamous Parisian wit and critic Henri Rochefort hailed this as a masterwork of the medium, as he lauded the piece as being “Michelangelesque” in the drama of its form. The Storm and her Clouds won the Gold Medal at the 1896 Salon for sculpture. In contrast to the often-demure portrayals of women by sculptors of the Art Nouveau era, Larche created a spectacularly powerful female figure in that of the storm. As she summons the swirling clouds, figures cower underneath her, blinded by the unleashing of the tempest. The bronze detailing on this present lot is hauntingly distinct, as the turbulent hair and wind-whipped fabric are brought to life through Larche’s masterful skills as a sculptor.