catalog text
"BÉLIER COUCHÉ" CAST AFTER MODEL BY ROSA BONHEUR (FRENCH, 1822-1899)
Signed "Rosa B" | cold-stamped "Peyrol" | conceived 1846, cast circa 1860 | a fine lifetime cast
Item # 105UHW16
Rightly considered rare, this exquisite sculpture by Rosa Bonheur is infrequently found outside of museum collections. As specialists in Rosa Bonheur's work, we have had the opportunity to carry this cast several times and we may still have available in the gallery two other castings of this model also executed by the Peyrol foundry.
The model is documented as "Bélier Couché", noted as such in Anna Klumpke's early biography on her friend ("Rosa Bonheur: Sa Vie, Son Oeuvre", 1908, p. 429). It perfectly captures the essence of this resting ram, eyes closed and head half-hung in repose. The ram's form is exacting, every detail captured with utmost realism, the sharpness and excellent texture of the work representative not only of the artist, but also of the notable skill of the foundry. This work was cast by Rosa Bonheur's brother-in-law Hippolyte Peyrol in his foundry. It retains the original and beautifully preserved nuanced golden-brown patina with hints of black in the recesses, this silky and glowing under burnished beeswax. The base is signed Rosa B. in her typical script, the lip of the base verso stamped PEYROL.
This work is listed in Bronzes of the 19th Century as having sale dimensions of 9 cm in height and original exhibition dimensions in 1973 at the Gallery of Decorative Arts at the Lausanne Les Animaliers du XIXe siecle record the dimensions as 9.5 cm x 22.5 cm. It is pictured in both Animals in Bronze and The Animaliers (noted below).
Rosa's deep admiration for the paintings of Edwin Landseer is evident in her sensitive modeling subjects; the paintings and sculpture of Eugéne Verboeckhoven greatly influenced her strict adherence to realism, first in her sculpture and later in her paintings. She was particularly good at capturing charming characteristics of her animals without any hint of the Romanticism found in works by academic animal sculpture of her contemporaries whereby emotions and expressions were imposed on the creatures with little regard for reality.
Literature and research:
- Animals in Bronze, Christopher Payne, p. 370
- The Animaliers, James Mackay, p. 49
- Kjellberg, Pierre, "Bronzes of the 19th Century", page 106-7
- Forrest, Michael, "Art Bronzes", page 471
Measurements: 8 7/8" wide x 4 5/8" deep x 3 3/8" high
Condition Report:
Carefully cleaned, polished and waxed. Remaining in very fine overall condition.