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"Jungle Book, " Important Painting w/ Male Nude by Barbier for Schmied, 1918

About the Item

A brilliant reminder of how early the Art Deco style we know today emerged in France, this vividly-painted depiction of Mowgli, the protagonist of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book," widely acclaimed around the world, was painted by Georges Barbier around 1918. The young man is shown here fully nude, playing a flute and charming a curling snake and a supine lion, all expressed in a rich palette of violet, flannel gray and jet black, highlighted in gold. This painting was probably executed for the long-awaited publication of "Jungle Book" by François-Louis Schmied, commissioned by Les Sociétés du Livre Contemporain but delayed for years due to the onset of The Great War. Schmied worked with Paul Jouve to illustrate the book, but was no doubt conferring with other artists such as Barbier to discuss their participation in the project. This original painting, along with other original works by an array of France's leading illustrators (including Charles Martin, Feliu Bracons, and Jean Berque), was collected together by Schmied as "Cent Frontispieces." (Dimensions include the full sheet.).
  • Creator:
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12 in (30.48 cm)Width: 9.5 in (24.13 cm)Depth: 0.1 in (2.54 mm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    1910-1919
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1918
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU865131509942

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