Antique Patinated Spelter Hunting Dogs Sculpture from France

Found in a chateau in Loriol du Comtat, in the Provence region of France, this large-scale plaster sculpture is signed and dated by the artist, making it a rare find. Originally part of a boiserie containing a fireplace, the sculpture decorated the main hall of the chateau. The artist, Marius Sain, created the piece for the owners of the chateau in 1914. The lovely depiction of a shepherdess and her flock is a fitting subject for an area of France in which shepherding is such an important part of the culture. The preserved heritage of transhumance in Provence goes back at least 800 years, as evidenced by collections of ancient songs, stories, and art. Life-size in scale, the lovely sculpture features a mix of high-, mid-, and low-relief embellishments. A hooded shepherdess tends to her flock of sheep with a crook in hand. A dog sits calmly at her feet as the flock gathers in front of them. Both the shepherdess and the dog are in high relief, as is the lead sheep. The lamb seen suckling from the front sheep was crafted in mid relief, as is the visible head on the far right of the sculpture. There are a few sheep behind them in low relief. Large trees can be seen on either side of the group, while off in the background (faintly visible) are a castle with four fastigiate Mediterranean cypress trees (known as Stricta) and a spired church. The attention to detail is magnificent, with textured surfaces including the animals’ fur and the uneven ground. Block print on the plaster can be seen at the base. The letters read Le Soir, which is French for “The Night”. The right side of the sculpture has been signed “M Sain 1914”. Marius Joseph Sain was born in 1877 in Avignon, France. In 1902, Sain moved to Paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Through introductions by his older brother and painter, Paul...

This hand carved seated cherub is of a nice size at nearly 23 inches tall. The cherub is holding a piece of draped cloth in front of its chest and still has both wings intact. The sculptor who carved this cherub was very good at the figural proportions of the human body. It recently came from a home in the beautiful Puy-En-Velay commune in the haute Loire...

This large French bronze sculpture depicts a family of deer traversing across a rocky terrain dotted with flowers. Sculpted in the late 1800s by Clovis-Edmond Masson, the sculpture has fantastic movement, as all three deer are depicted in full stride, with their hooves off the ground. The largest of the group is a stag with a wide antler spread and detailed musculature. To the stag’s left is a doe looking back towards a fawn, who is looking up at the stag. The sculpture has a rich, green-brown patination with areas that have retained the gold of the bronze. Behind the doe are two engravings: “C. Masson” and “Salon des Beaux-Arts”, indicating that the sculpture is the work of Clovis-Edmond Masson and was exhibited at the Paris Salon (the original). Clovis-Edmond Masson was born in Paris in 1838 and specialized in sculptures that accurately depicted animal behavior. Masson exhibited at the Salon regularly from 1867-1881, placing this sculpture in that time frame. The most famous work by Masson was commissioned by Rama V...

This antique French hand carved wooden statue is of a bearded man wearing a robe tied at the waist with a long scarf draped over his shoulder...

French sculpture "Muse Champêtre", attributed to Louis Moreau. This is a stunning French patinated and bronzed spelter sculpture titled "Muse Champêtre" attributed to Louis Moreau. T...

Pair of French Art Nouveau patinated spelter sculptures French, early 20th century Measures: Figure with lyre: Height 92cm, width 48cm, depth 38cm Other figure: Height 90cm, width 52cm, depth 33cm The spelter works in this pair are after two of the leading Art Nouveau period sculptors: George Maxim and Auguste Moreau. The sculptures portray young women in animated, dance-like postures, wearing flowing dress that recalls Greek wet drapery. One figure holds a musical instrument, while the other spreads her arms as if to music. The figures stand on integral rocky bases above matching marble plinths. Each piece is affixed with a plaque, one reading ‘Libellule par Geo Maxim...

A patinated bronze sculpture of a stag and hunting dogs, 19th century. Sculpture by A.Laplanche in patinated bronze representing a stag and hunting dogs, 19th century. H: 49cm, W: 6...

Superb bronze animal group with brown patina representing two dogs, a greyhound and a King - Charles , by Pierre - Jules Mêne . Signature of the sculptor "P.J.MÊNE" on the naturalist...