Items Similar to Max Blondat, French Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Timepiece, 1914
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
Max Blondat, French Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Timepiece, 1914
About the Item
"L'amour Non Partagé" or "Unrequited Love", an allegorical timepiece by Max Blondat. The base of the clock is stamped with the artist name "Max Blondat", and carries a Valsuani foundry stamp with “CIRE at the top "PERDUE" at bottom (Cire Perdue is French for lost wax casting), as well as copyright symbol and date "02.1914".
It is rare to find a stunning work of art of museum quality and craftsmanship, such as this beautiful and important bronze sculptural timepiece. Like all Max Blondat's sculptural compositions, this one also features the originality and allegory of a specific theme. In this particular case, it is unrequited love. The body of the clock is in the form of a luscious three-dimensional heart embroidered with flowers. In the center of the front part a clockwork with porcelain face and enameled hour hands are mounted. There are several feathers of arrows piercing the bronze frame dial by the upper part of the perimeter, indicating the repeated unsuccessful attempts of the stubborn lover to succeed in this field with his impregnable vis-à-vis, who does not at all want to respond to loving appeals with reciprocity. In the foreground, a charming chubby Cupid bent down in thought and apparent helplessness. Having lost all hope and lowering his bow, he holds in his hand a broken arrow, the second fragment of which is lying under his feet. And, while he is frozen in thought, time passes and the clock is ticking! Naturally, the observer has a question: "And how, in fact, does this sad unrequited love story end? Will Cupid achieve desired reciprocity over time and, showing constant perseverance, break inaccessibility?" Looking at the cover in the form of several crossed arrows, defending the clockwork at the back of the clock very reliably, the answer to this question arises by itself - and, this answer is "No!”
Maximilian Blondat (1872-1926), or Max Blondat was a French sculptor of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. One of his most famous sculptures is the Fountain of Youth, representing three children watching three frogs. Copies are at the Place Darcy in Fontainebleau; Düsseldorf, Germany; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Ukraine, Odessa; Zurich, Switzerland, and the United States in Denver. He was the son of a copper worker and was apprenticed to an ornamentalist sculptor in 1886. Blondat continued over the sculpture work in many areas and different materials. He arrived in Paris and began his studies in 1889 at the Ecole Germain Pilon. In 1890, he exhibited at the Salon of French artists for the first time and presented a plaster medallion, then perfected in the workshop of Mathurin Moreau . In 1892 , he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. During that period, Max Blondat signed his first achievements using the maternal family name Henry . His works can be found in wood, stone, clay, glass, bronze, and he excelled in the decorative arts with the reduction of his sculptures and the creation of small utilitarian objects: car radiator caps, knockers, clocks, pockets, ashtrays etc. He also produced ceramics with Edmond Lachenal AT the Sèvres manufactory, and worked extensively with wrought iron with Edgar Brandt . His bronzes had been cast by the Siot-Decauville and Valsuani foundries . Blondat also created jewelry for Chambon and Hermes . In 1906, he became a founding member of the Society of French Decorative Arts . Part of his work is on display at the Museum of the 1930's in Boulogne-Billancourt . One of his most famous creations is the Fountain of Youth, representing three children observing three frogs. The exact copies of the fountain can be seen in Dijon Darcy, Fontainebleau, as well as in Dusseldorf , Germany; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Odessa, Ukraine; Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich, Switzerland; and Denver, United States. Engaged in the service of camouflage (the Chameleon) which he left in 1917 for becoming a head of the École des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, where he served until 1919. He then got carried away by creation of the WWI memorials. Maximilian Blondat was decorated with the Cross of War (WWI, 1914-1918) and made an officer of the Legion of Honour in 1925. He lived in the neighborhood of the Parc des Princes in Boulogne-Billancourt, a city which gave his name to one of its streets. A street in another small French town of Auxerre bears his name, as well.
Valsuani Foundry (1899 – circa 1977) was started by the Italian brothers Claude and Attilio Valsuani who learned the foundry trade while employed at the famous Hébrard art foundry. While working for Hébrard, Claude Valsuani showed great promise as a finisher and eventually worked his way up to become the Technical Director of the Hébrard foundry. In 1899 Claude Valsuani started his own foundry in Châtillon, casting mostly small works for various artists primarily using the lost wax technique of casting (cire perdue). In 1905 he moved his foundry to 74, rue des Plantes in Paris. Among the better known sculptors who had the Valsuani foundry cast their works were: Degas, Rodin, Renoir, Gauguin, Maillol, Picasso, Modigliani, Matisse, Giacometti, Brancusi. Ossip Zadkine also used this foundry for the casting of his sculptures. Thus, the Valsuani foundry quickly acquired a great reputation, particularly for its outstanding mastery of lost wax casting. Claude Valsuani was also celebrated for the beautiful patinas he created with a blowtorch, a technique imported from Italy which, as he said, did not leave any deposit of carbon and gave the sculptures a beautiful glossy aspect. One of the foundry’s most famous patinas until now is called the Noir de Valsuani (Valsuani black). Last but not least, Claude Valsuani was among the first casters to fight against counterfeiting and unauthorized editions by marking each sculpture with the total number of casts in a series, as part of his numerical notation (eg. 1/10). Claude Valsuani died in 1923 in his native Italy, but his son, Marcel took over the running of the foundry and continued to produce extremely fine detailed bronzes until the 1970s.
- Creator:Max Blondat (Sculptor)
- Dimensions:Height: 11.75 in (29.85 cm)Width: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)Depth: 5 in (12.7 cm)
- Style:Art Nouveau (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1910-1919
- Date of Manufacture:1914
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU281938358243
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Seller
These experienced sellers undergo a comprehensive evaluation by our team of in-house experts.
Established in 1993
1stDibs seller since 2017
68 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 2 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 10 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- French Art Nouveau, Female Bust, Gilt Bronze, 1900sLocated in New York, NYSigned under the left shoulder: ”CerNelille”.Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Busts
MaterialsBronze
- Paul Loiseau-Rousseau, French Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Jug, Ca. 1900By Paul Loiseau-Rousseau 1Located in New York, NYPaul Louis Emile Loiseau-Rousseau (French, 1861-1927) was a famous French sculptor. In his youth, he planned to devote himself to etching, was a student of Antoine-Louis Barye at the...Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Vases
MaterialsBronze
- Alexandre Vibert, French Art Nouveau Figural Gilt Bronze Ewer, circa 1900By Alexandre VibertLocated in New York, NYAn Art Nouveau gilt bronze lobed ewer by Alexandre Vibert (French, 1847-1909), produced within the early 20th century period, depicting a classical nude female figure on the bank of ...Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Urns
MaterialsBronze
- French Art Nouveau Grand Bronze Iris Candelabra, ca. 1900Located in New York, NYABOUT IRIS MOTIFS Iris motifs were popular during the Arts & Crafts movement. The genus of this easy-to-stylize flower has nearly 300 varieties that bloom in many colors—thus its nam...Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Candelabras
MaterialsBronze
- French Art Nouveau Patinated Bronze Sculptural Iris Vase, ca. 1900Located in New York, NYABOUT IRIS The iris is a special and mysterious flower. Not only because of its striking appearance, but also from an artistic and historical point of view. It is also like a work of art, as though created by Mother Nature. The unique leaves of this plant not only create wonderful shadow casts, but also look as if they were painted by hand. It's no wonder that iris acts as the muse for countless artists, and can be seen in many famous works of art. The iris was first spotted in the time of Pharaoh Thutmose, in 1504 BC. He had the iris inscribed into the wall reliefs of a temple as a sign of his power, as well as decorating his sceptre with motifs of the flower. Since then, the iris has been a symbol of victory in Egypt. But the symbolism of the iris goes further than that. In Japan, the flower represents courage and is the symbol of the boys' festival. In Islamic cultures, the iris is a symbol of prosperity. In Europe, the flower was a popular weapon symbol in the Middle Ages and stood for chivalry. And in Christianity, the iris was seen as a symbol of the trinity because of its three-part flowers. With more than 300 varieties, the iris is now the most popular flower among growers and gardeners following the rose. Countless artists use the iris in their works and the flower is present in all eras. You can see the flower on furniture, vases, jewelry, fabrics, sculptures, coats of arms and much more. Did you know that the iris is also called the sword lily? It's not a coincidence that it used to symbolize physical and emotional pain and suffering caused by a weapon. We also see the flower in religious art, where it's often associated with Mary and Jesus. The iris is also associated with the Greek goddess Iris, where the flower symbolizes reconciliation and divine messages. This is also reflected in many paintings. Finally, the iris is also visible in Dutch and Flemish still-life paintings. This can be in a religious form, incorporated into an object or as a decorative flower. In the Art Nouveau art movement, the iris (along with other plants, such as the birch) was often used as an expression of feminine beauty. With its almost otherworldly appearance, the iris is perfectly suited to the Art Nouveau aesthetic and is featured in many well-known works of art. The poet of that era, Hermann Hesse...Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
MaterialsBronze
- Charles Vital-Cornu, French Art Nouveau Bronze Sculptural Floral Vase, 1900sBy Charles Vital-CornuLocated in New York, NYCharles Vital-Cornu (French, 1851 - 1927), Jouffroy’s and Pils’ pupil, he acquired a skillfulness mastery in carving marbles and producing bronzes. He used several patinas in his production. Indeed, if his pieces' embodiments are often golden-brown colored, the hollow part are darker. His figures, hands, faces, and bodies are of a great quality. Charles Vital-Cornu had participated in numerous annual ‘‘Salons’’ organized in Paris by ‘‘la Société des Artistes Français’’ where he got several awards, such as a mention of Honor in 1880 and 1881, a third class medal in 1882, a travelling grant in 1883, a second class medal in 1886, a bronze medal at the 1889 World Fair and, finally, a silver medal at the 1900 World Fair at the Grand palace...Category
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Vases
MaterialsBronze
You May Also Like
- Max Blondat French Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Vide-PocheBy Max BlondatLocated in New York, NYA French Art Nouveau gilt bronze vide poche by Max Blondat. Titled "An Embrace". The vide poche features the heads and torsos of a man and a woman, sweeping up from the sides of the dish. Each of the lovers has an arm around the other. Circa 1900. Pictured in: Dynamic Beauty: Sculpture of Art Nouveau Paris, by Macklowe Gallery, The Studley Press, 2011, p. 57. Signed, "MAX-BLONDAT" Founder mark "Siot...Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Desk Accessories
MaterialsBronze
- Art Nouveau Gilt Bronze Lady Sculpture Mantel Clock with 2 Matching CandelabrasBy Claude BonnefondLocated in Lisse, NLLarge and impressive, Bonnefond signed clock garniture with top quality bronze lady sculptures. This Art Nouveau clock garniture is in the wonderful style of the Nancy School (l'éco...Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Mantel Clocks
MaterialsBrass, Bronze, Enamel
- French Art Deco Clock Marble Mantle TimepieceLocated in Potters Bar, GBHighly collectable French art deco clock Circa 1930 so period art deco Classic symmetrical design with the different coloured marbles Bought from a dealer on Marche Biron at Paris an...Category
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Mantel Clocks
MaterialsMarble
- French Art Deco Clock Marble Mantle TimepieceLocated in Potters Bar, GBHighly collectable French art deco clock Circa 1930 so period art deco Classic symmetrical design with the different coloured marbles Bought from a dealer on Marche Biron at Paris an...Category
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Mantel Clocks
MaterialsMarble
- Art Nouveau Period Gilt Bronze Mounted Wooden Mantel Clock by Colin & CieBy E. Colin & Cie 1Located in London, GBThis elegant antique mantel clock is of the Art Nouveau period, and is set within a fine rectangular wooden case embellished with gilt bronze (ormolu) borders and floral decorations. The clock was made by renowned Parisian maker E. Colin & Cie, and its central circular wooden dial...Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Mantel Clocks
MaterialsBronze
- French Art Nouveau Grandfather ClockLocated in New York, NYFrench Art Nouveau bronze dore grandfather clock with marble & onyx pedestal top and base. *Not workingCategory
Antique Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Clocks
MaterialsMarble, Onyx, Ormolu
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Used Timepieces
1914 French Furniture
Max Bronze
Gold Timepieces
French Gilt Bronze Frame
Signed Art Nouveau Bronze
Art Nouveau Gilt
French Gilt Antiques
Italian Art Nouveau Table
Gold Gilt Frame Art
French Germain
Art Nouveau Service
French Art Nouveau Framed Art
German Art Nouveau Tables
Serve Gilt
Youth Bronze
Art Nouveau Bronze Table
Gilt Bronze Art Deco