Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14

Charles Despiau
Bacchante

circa 1930

About the Item

Bacchante by Charles DESPIAU (1874-1946) Sculpture in bronze with nuanced dark brown patina Signed at the back "C. Despiau" Cast by Alexis RUDIER France Vers 1930 Height 23 cm Width 18 cm Depth 13 cm The plaster model of "Bacchante" was exhibited in 1909 at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. Charles Despiau produced several variants of this work, including the one presented here. Among other known versions, there is one cast with the right leg cut off, four casts with the torso alone and eight casts with the raised leg (1929). Bibliography : "Charles Albert Despiau", Collections du musée municipal de Mont-de-Marsan, 1982, p.20. "Despiau vivant, l'homme et l'œuvre", W. George, Ed. Paul Dupont, Clichy, 1947, pl.XIX. "Charles Despiau, sculptures et dessins", Exposition au Musée Rodin, Paris, 1974, p.20. Biography : Charles Despiau (1874-1946) was a French sculptor. He was essentially a portrait sculptor with an archaic style spirit and simplified features. He was considered one of the greatest sculptors of the interwar period. Son and grandson of master plasterers, student at Mont-de-Marsan, Charles Despiau was noticed by his drawing teacher, Louis Henri Ismaël Morin, of whom he kept a grateful memory. He moved to Paris in 1891, provided with a scholarship from the Landes department, and entered the National School of Decorative Arts where he was taught by Hector Lemaire, then at the School of Fine Arts in the studio of the sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias, where he learned direct carving. He started at the Salon in 1898 where he was noticed. In 1901, Charles Despiau was admitted to the National Society of Fine Arts, of which he was named a member in 1904, the year he presented his sculpture "Little girl from the Landes". Despiau joined the “Bande à Schnegg”, a group of sculptors who had all been a practitioner of Auguste Rodin at one time or another. This group of friends was nicknamed “La bande à Rodin” by Camille Claudel. Lucien Schnegg, Gaston Schnegg's brother, was the driving force, along with Antoine Bourdelle, Robert Wlérick, Léon-Ernest Drivier, François Pompon, Louis Dejean, Alfred Jean Halou, Charles Malfray, Auguste de Niederhausern, Élisée Cavaillon, Henry Arnold, Jane Poupelet, Yvonne Serruys, etc. Their works testified to their influence on modern sculpture, against the lyricism of Rodin and, above all, the academicism in place. In 1907, Auguste Rodin asked Despiau to work with him after seeing his sculpture "Paulette" (exhibited at the Salon of 1910). Charles Despiau then began his activity as a practitioner which lasted until 1914, the year of his mobilization. He was then forced to abandon the carving in marble of the "Genius of Eternal Rest" entrusted to him by Rodin, intended for the commemorative monument to the painter Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. Demobilized after the war and Rodin having died in 1917, Despiau refused to finish the marble of the "Genius", Rodin no longer being there to supervise it. Despiau became a professor at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, the free academy founded by Antoine Bourdelle. In 1923, Despiau was a co-founding member of the Salon des Tuileries. He experienced his first commercial successes in 1927. The major private exhibition organized in New York at the Brummer gallery in 1927, on the initiative of the Barbazanges gallery, finally brought him fame and fortune, and made him a recognized sculptor in the United States. United, then, indirectly, in Europe. Despiau met Arno Breker who came to work in Paris between 1926 and 1932 in Maillol's studio. Despiau always marked his friendship and his admiration for the German sculptor. In 1937, he received the order for a colossal statue six meters high, "Apollon", intended for the forecourt of the Museum of Modern Art of the city of Paris for the Universal Exhibition of 1937, where Despiau was included on the committee of selection of works, and exhibited fifty-two sculptures at the Petit Palais in a room dedicated to him. This figure of Apollo occupied Despiau so much that he never delivered it to the city. He worked on this subject until the end of his life.
  • Creator:
    Charles Despiau (1874-1946, French)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1930
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9.06 in (23 cm)Width: 7.09 in (18 cm)Depth: 5.12 in (13 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    PARIS, FR
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: N.77401stDibs: LU2514215238672

More From This Seller

View All
Young girl sitting at her toilet
By Joseph Bernard
Located in PARIS, FR
"Young girl sitting at her toilet" also known as "Young girl with braids" by Joseph BERNARD (1866-1931) Sculpture in bronze with a nuanced brownish dark green patina Signed on the ...
Category

1920s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Apollo
By Henri Bouchard
Located in PARIS, FR
"Apollo" by Henri Bouchard (1875-1960) An Art Deco period masterpiece! Exceptional bronze sculpture with a golden-brown patina Signed " H. Bouchard " Unique piece This work personifies Apollo, god of the Arts. Represented here as Apollo Musagète, leader of the procession of muses and winner of the serpent Python. This subject was commissioned to adorn the entrance to the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, and whose monumental bronze is still exhibited there. To participate in the Venice Biennale in 1938, Henri Bouchard had reduced in 1937 the large Apollo of the Palais de Chaillot, which had not yet been installed. Vintage cast by Bisceglia (cast founder stamp) made during the artist's lifetime. Incised dedication below signature : " à mon cher ami E. Sandoz " This is a unique cast made for the sculptor Edouard-Marcel Sandoz (1881-1971). This cast was exhibited at the 1938 Venice Biennale. France 1937 height : 82 cm width : 45 cm depth : 30 cm weight : 31,2 kgs Stickers under the bronze cast : - Sticker mentioning that this cast has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale of 1938 under the number 354 ("Biennale Internaz. d'Arte Venezia – 1938 – XVI – 354"). - Sticker mentioning that this cast went through Italian customs ("ne – merci – dogana italiana – visitate - 9622") - Damaged Sticker mentioning the name ("A…") and the address ("25…") of the owner of the cast (maybe for the workshop "Atelier Henri Bouchard", 25 rue d’Yvettes, 75016 Paris). Provenance : - Edouard-Marcel Sandoz, Paris, according to the dedication. - Property from the Collection of Seymour Stein (entrepreneur and founder of Sire Records, famous American record label ; and avid collector of 19th and 20th century fine art...
Category

1930s Art Deco Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Torso of a woman
Located in PARIS, FR
Torso of a woman by Auguste HENG (1891-1968) Sculpture in pink marble stone Signed on the base " A. Heng " Presented on an olive-wood base France circa 1925 height 34,5 cm height ...
Category

1920s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Stone

Young woman seated with drapery
Located in PARIS, FR
Young woman seated with drapery by Pierre-Marie POISSON (1876-1953) Bronze sculpture with nuanced green patina signed on the base "P. Poisson" old cast France circa 1935-40 height 21,5 cm length 24,5 cm depth 11 cm Biography : Pierre-Marie Poisson (1876-1953) was a French sculptor and medalist. He studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse from 1893 to 1896, where he trained in plaster works. He completed this teaching in the Barrias studio in Paris. He began to exhibit his works in 1899 at the Society of French Artists and in 1907 obtained a medal of honor at the Salon as well as an allowance to reside at the villa Abd-el-Tif in Algiers where he designed and produced the decorations. He returned there regularly until 1914. After the Great War, Poisson collaborated with the Compagnie des Arts Français with Süe and Mare. In 1922 the city of Niort commissioned Poisson a war memorial located on the esplanade of the keep. Poisson created the monument to the dead in Le Havre in 1925, considered his masterpiece. He participated in various decorative works : lounge of the Paquebot...
Category

1930s French School Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

The Three Graces
Located in PARIS, FR
The Three Graces by Alfred JANNIOT (1889-1969) A bronze group with a nuanced brownish green patina Signed on the side of the base "A. Janniot" Cast by "Susse fondeur Paris" (inscrib...
Category

Mid-20th Century French School Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Gorilla kidnapping a woman
By Emmanuel Fremiet
Located in PARIS, FR
Emmanuel FREMIET (1824-1910) Gorilla kidnapping a woman A rare bronze group with a greenish dark brown patina signed "E. Fremiet" on the base cast by " F. Barbedienne Fondeur " (fo...
Category

Late 19th Century French School Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

You May Also Like

Gladiator ready for battle / - Ready for anything -
By Bruno Zach
Located in Berlin, DE
Bruno Zach (1891 Zhitomir - 1945 Vienna), Gladiator ready for battle, c. 1930. Blackish patinated bronze with silver-plated helmet, shield rim and shield pommel mounted on a fluted m...
Category

1930s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Kneeling Female Nude, Bronze By Mario Korbel
Located in Norwood, NJ
Joseph Mario Korbel (Czech/American, 1882-1954). Period fine example bronze, dark brown patina, modeled as a nude female kneeling and tying her sandal, raised on a stepped black marb...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Boy playing the shawm / - The transience of sounds -
Located in Berlin, DE
Hans Harders (1875 Mörel - 1955 Berlin), Boy playing the shawm, around 1930. Dark patinated bronze with round plinth on a black marble base (2 cm high), t...
Category

1930s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Vintage Art Deco Signed Original Bronze Woman Portrait Limited Edition Sculpture
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage signed and numbered art deco sculpture by Erte. Painted Bronze cica 1987.
Category

1980s Art Deco Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Bronze Nude Girl with Fawn, Amazon with Fawn
By Pierre Traverse
Located in Miami, FL
Signed on base. This was exhibited at the Goldscheider Pavilion at the 1925 Paris Exhibition Marble base has loss to right edge and very small lose to center edge. , Bronze is in ve...
Category

1920s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Bronze , French Nude Girl Dancer Danseuse
By Francois Emile Popineau
Located in Miami, FL
Feminine Nude Bronze with black patina Signed on Base 31 inches Paris Listed in Major Art books Iconic pose of both arms pressed close to the body with ...
Category

1930s Art Deco Nude Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Recently Viewed

View All