catalog text
"CHEVREAU COURANT" PATINATED BRONZE SCULPTURE BY ARY JEAN LÉON BITTER
Signed before casting "Ary Bitter", "Susse Fre. Edts. Paris", "cire purdue"
Item # 001WPL19J
A rare and fine work by Ary Bitter and cast by Susse Freres in Paris, this small Modernism sculpture captures a young goat in mid-stride as it runs through a field. The work has an overall waxy and silky smooth surface from the lost-wax casting process, the surface finished in a complex green, black and brown patination.
Born in Marseilles, France on May 29th of 1883, Ary Jean Léon Bitter began his studies under the guidance of Emile Aldebert at the Marseille Beaux Arts in 1895 and later under Jules Coutant. He left Marseilles for Paris where he joined the studio of sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias and in 1906 was admitted into École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. There he received honourable mention for his exhibit of l'Enfant au chevreau in 1910. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français between 1912 and 1939, receiving a bronze medal in 1913, a silver medal in 1921 and a gold medal in 1924. He was distinguished with the classification of "hors-concours", allowing him to enter exhibition without jury approval and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1932. He also achieved a final gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1937. Many of his smaller works were cast by Susse Freres, the renowned Parisian foundry with whom he collaborated to produce several limited editions. Bitter specialized in the sculpture of animals, but he had great breadth to his work and produced a varied body of sculpture in the Art Nouveau taste with groups of figures combined with animals.
Literature & Further Reading:
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. II, Gründ, 2006, p. 543-544
- Art Deco and other Figures, Bryan Catley, 1978, featuring a series of his works on pages 45 through 47 (present example not included)
- Animals in Bronze, Christopher Payne, 2002, two of his works (not present example) depicted p. 194-195, short biography p. 396
Measurements: 3 3/8" H x 2" D x 4 7/8" W
Condition Report:
Exceptional original condition. A very fine presentation.