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Jan and Joel Martel
Art Deco Sculpture of a Bear by Martel

1930

About the Item

This highly stylized modernist sculpture of a bronze bear provides a rare opportunity to own a piece by some of the most fascinating sculptors in history. Jan and Joel Martel were an avant-garde team born in Nantes, France. They were identical twins who worked and lived together. They had a matched aesthetic that combined abstract cubism with realism and whimsy that produced fanciful interpretations of animals, dancers and musicians. They did small decorative pieces, monumental sculptures, and fountains, including work for the 1925 Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris and the Olympics of 1948. They worked in glass, marble, plaster, aluminum, silver, and bronze in a wide variety of finishes and colors. The bear statue is classically patinated bronze. In many ways, their designs focused on one essential feature of an animal, and this sculpture exaggerates the bear's pointed nose and outstretched neck as its "symbol"." The subtle signature on the base is their unique monogram, which can also be seen on their letterhead. For the past 15 years, I've been a 1stDibs Furniture dealer with Platinum status. We've always sold fine art on this "furniture" platform and have recently started selling our Art Deco Fine Art here on 1stDibs in addition to our Furniture platform.
  • Creator:
    Jan and Joel Martel (French)
  • Creation Year:
    1930
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 10.5 in (26.67 cm)Width: 4 in (10.16 cm)Depth: 4 in (10.16 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Oakland, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 27641stDibs: LU2700214053812
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