BUST OF ALEXANDRE BRONGNIART IN BRONZED SCAGLIOLA, (Based on a sculpture by HOUDON) - New entry *

Bronzed effect scagliola sculpture. This refined scagliola bust depicting Alexandre Brongniart as a child is based on the work of the celebrated sculptor Houdon, exhibited in pair with the bust of his sister Louise Brongniart, at the Louvre Museum. The anonymous artist from Faenza has skillfully and masterfully reinterpreted the work of the great French sculptor, bringing to life the innocence and vivacity of the young Alexander with his open jacket, the strands of disheveled hair (sculpted with extreme accuracy), with lively eyes, a cheerful and "mischievous" look. Faenza - early 20th century. Measurements: Height 35.0 cm. Width 21.0 cm. Depth 12.0 cm. Notes: Jean-Antoine Houdon (Versailles, 1741 – Paris, 1828) Neoclassical French sculptor. His artistic training took place in France at the "Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture". He came to Italy to Rome in 1760 at the "French Academy" where he had the opportunity to deepen his knowledge of classical, Renaissance and Baroque art. In 1771 he became a member and then a teacher at the same Royal Academy where he began his training. Famous for his portraiture and especially for busts and statues of famous men. Busts of children were very rare in the 17th and the first half of the 18th century. Houdon had a great interest in portraiture of children during his artistic training period in Italy. The two busts, in terracotta, portraying the Brongniart siblings were presented at the Salon in 1777, where they were a great success and were subsequently reproduced in marble, bronze, terracotta, and in Sèvres biscuit. The originals remained with the Brongniart family until their acquisition by the Louvre. Curiosity: Louise and Alexandre were the children of Alexandre Théodore Brongniart, the famous architect of the Paris Stock Exchange. Alexander (Paris 1770 - 1847) became a famous French chemist, geologist, and zoologist. His research in the field of mineralogy "Traité élémentaire de minéralogie" was important. He can be considered the founder of stratigraphic paleontology, from the moment when fossils would play a fundamental role in the relative chronological dating of sedimentary terrains. He was appointed "Mining Engineer", professor of natural history at the "École centrale des Quatre-Nations" of mineralogy at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. For his studies and for the publication of the book "Memoir on the Art of the Enameler" in 1800 he was appointed director of the national manufactory of Sèvres, which he remained until his death. * A 50% discount applies for the month of March.