George Minne

The Prodigal Son

1899

The Sculpture : The Artist (L'Artiste) Impressive in size, measuring no less than 123 cm in height, and resting on its original base, Fraikin’s sculpture “L’Artiste” from 1872 reveals itself as a masterpiece. While the artist’s original plaster is now held in the museum bearing his name in Herentals, the present Carrara marble version is made for and exhibited for the first time at the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1878, it has granted him the Légion d’honneur, France’s most distinguished medal. A paper document glued to the original base of this sculpture indicates that it was indeed this work that was presented at the Paris Salon in 1878 and not a reproduction. We have, to this day, never encountered a copy of this sculpture and assume that it must be unique as was often the case with royal commissions. Following its success at the Exposition Universelle, the present marble was sold to Prince de Stirbay and arranged to be gracing his palace on the outskirts of Paris. As noted by Guillaume Bijl, and specifically naming the present sculpture, this type of princely clientele wasn’t a rare feat for the artist: “Several families, mainly from nobility or with an industrialist background, embellish their castles and mansions with these beautiful and disarming works. (…) Of L’amour endormi a marble version was bought by the Duchess Maria of Russia and another version went to the noble house of von Lindenau. "L’Artiste" in marble went to Prince de Stirbay, and Les deux amours to the noble family van Bisschoffsheim.” With the present marble tucked away in its princely and private collection, the plaster model held in the Fraikin Museum has defended the artist’s reputation ever since. It was exhibited several times over the course of the past century and was recently granted the central position in the exhibition “In dialoog met de kunstenaar” held at the Art Center Hugo Voeten in 2019 and curated by the artist Guillaume Bijl. "L'Artiste" was created when the artist was at the height of both his reputation and skill. The delicacy and quality of the sculpture are a testament to Fraikin's greatness as an artist. Very few works exhibited at the World's Fair were deemed important enough to attract the attention of the art critics at the time. However, in his record of the World Fair, published in La Sculpture en Europe, the critic Henry Jouin dedicated this important passage to Fraikin's masterpiece: "Aux hommes de bataille, aux héros de nos luttes terrestres, si souvent assombries par le sang ou la haine...

Superb sculpture in white Carrara marble representing a mother carrying her child by the Belgian artist Alphonse Van Beurden. The delicacy of the drapery, the expressions of the faces and the realism of this work testify to the unparalleled talent of A. Van Beurden. This theme of mother and child was very fashionable in the 19th century, and other artists such as Paul Troubetzkoy and Jean Boucher also tackled the timeless theme of maternal love.

Venus and Cupid by Jean-Marie Boucher : This white marble statue of Venus, gazing lovingly at a winged Cupid, was created around 1910. The same marble model was sold by Sotherby's London in their auction "19th and 20th Century Sculpture '' on November 26...

This sculpture dates from the end of the 19th century, circa 1890, and represents the nymph or naiad Ondine. Unlike mermaids, nymphs do not live in the sea; they frequent the runnin...

Title : L'Aurore (The Dawn) The sculpture depicts a smiling woman getting up in the morning. The artist chose to detail only the anatomical parts of the woman, her hands, her...

Leda and the Swan (Leda et le Cygne) by Edouard Houssin Beautiful marble sculpture representing a famous scene from Greek mythology: Leda and the Swan....

My dedication to addressing environmental concerns through my sculpture has long been a subject for my work. By using my artistic voice to draw attention to the pressing issues facing our planet, I'm hoping to inspire change and raise awareness among viewers. The fabrication of the stretcher from brass and aluminum highlights my intentionality in material choice, symbolizing the intersection of human industry and natural resources. This juxtaposition of man-made materials with the organic form of the tree log creates a striking visual contrast that prompts viewers to consider the relationship between human activity and the environment. The use of a naturally hollowed tree...

From the series Salud Y Pesetas. It is a new series of works that, inspired by ancient Iberian archelogical artefacts, their findings and forgeries, unravel potential reinterpretatio...

This work speculate with the idea of restoring the legends, myths and spiritual forces once present in the life of European earliest ancestors.

Ceramic jar covered with engraved stucco. 78x35x35 cm Signature on the side

Ceramic jar covered with engraved stucco. 78x35x35 cm Signature on the side

Ceramic jar covered with engraved stucco. 78x35x35 cm Signature on the side