France, Theodore Géricault (1791-1824)
plaster - height: 26cm, width: 25cm
This striking plaster sculpture of a flayed horse, cheval écorché, is a model by the French artist Théodore Géricault. Géricault had a special liking, if not obsession, for horses and depicted them regularly in his paintings. His fascination for equestrian themes was stimulated by his apprenticeship with artist and “horse expert” Carle Vernet (1758-1836). While Géricault is predominantly known as a painter, he explored other media as well, one of which is sculpture. This striking sculpture of a cheval échorché demonstrates his inherent talent for sculpting; the few three-dimensional objects he made during his career were critically acclaimed.[1]
This sculpture illustrates the thorough anatomical knowledge of Géricault, which was valued by fellow artists. Several examples survive because Géricault’s model functioned as a study object for some of his colleagues;[2] one resides in the Louvre museum in Paris (inv. RF1657) and another in the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (inv. 2017.29).[3] Gericault’s student, Antoine-Alphonse de Montfort (1802-1884) owned the Louvre cheval écorché as a tool to depict horses in his paintings.[4] The present horse has a similar history, as it belonged to the painter Jean-Baptiste Huet (1775-1811), contemporary of Géricault and taught by the animal painter Charles Dagomer (1700-1768). Given Huet’s passion and skill for painting animals, it is feasible to assume that Huet also used the plaster cheval as a reference. Neverheless, this spirited horse model remains a rare work of art, especially considering the few sculptures Géricault produced during his lifetime.
The sculpture is signed on the base and the condition is good overall. Its surface is worn in places, consistent with age. Some breaks are noted, including on the four legs and support column, indicating the figure may have been broken off its base at some point in time.
PROVENANCE
Collection of the painter Jean-Baptiste Huet, France
Collection André Gombert, France
Collection Charles Lucido, Monaco
PUBLISHED
Charles Lucido, Collection Privée, p.36
Connaissance des Arts, no. 155 (1965): p.46
RELATED LITERATURE
Etex, Antoine. Les trois tombeaux de Géricault, 1837-1884. Librairie académique Didier, 1885.
Lindsay, Suzanne Glover. European Sculpture of the Nineteenth Century, 2000.
[1] https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1334.html?artobj_artistId=1334&pageNumber=2#biography
lastly visited 02/12/2020. Fragment from: Suzanne Glover Lindsay, European Sculpture of the Nineteenth Century, (Princeton University Press, 2000)
[2] Antoine Etex, Les trois tombeaux de Géricault, 1837-1884, (Librairie académique Didier, 1885), p.27
[3] https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-121965457/, lastly visited 02/12/2020
[4] https://rkd.nl/en/explore/images/260637, lastly visited 02/12/2020
France, Theodore Géricault (1791-1824)
plaster - height: 26cm, width: 25cm
This striking plaster sculpture of a flayed horse, cheval écorché, is a model by the French artist Théodore Géricault. Géricault had a special liking, if not obsession, for horses and depicted them regularly in his paintings. His fascination for equestrian themes was stimulated by his apprenticeship with artist and “horse expert” Carle Vernet (1758-1836). While Géricault is predominantly known as a painter, he explored other media as well, one of which is sculpture. This striking sculpture of a cheval échorché demonstrates his inherent talent for sculpting; the few three-dimensional objects he made during his career were critically acclaimed.[1]
This sculpture illustrates the thorough anatomical knowledge of Géricault, which was valued by fellow artists. Several examples survive because Géricault’s model functioned as a study object for some of his colleagues;[2] one resides in the Louvre museum in Paris (inv. RF1657) and another in the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (inv. 2017.29).[3] Gericault’s student, Antoine-Alphonse de Montfort (1802-1884) owned the Louvre cheval écorché as a tool to depict horses in his paintings.[4] The present horse has a similar history, as it belonged to the painter Jean-Baptiste Huet (1775-1811), contemporary of Géricault and taught by the animal painter Charles Dagomer (1700-1768). Given Huet’s passion and skill for painting animals, it is feasible to assume that Huet also used the plaster cheval as a reference. Neverheless, this spirited horse model remains a rare work of art, especially considering the few sculptures Géricault produced during his lifetime.
The sculpture is signed on the base and the condition is good overall. Its surface is worn in places, consistent with age. Some breaks are noted, including on the four legs and support column, indicating the figure may have been broken off its base at some point in time.
PROVENANCE
Collection of the painter Jean-Baptiste Huet, France
Collection André Gombert, France
Collection Charles Lucido, Monaco
PUBLISHED
Charles Lucido, Collection Privée, p.36
Connaissance des Arts, no. 155 (1965): p.46
RELATED LITERATURE
Etex, Antoine. Les trois tombeaux de Géricault, 1837-1884. Librairie académique Didier, 1885.
Lindsay, Suzanne Glover. European Sculpture of the Nineteenth Century, 2000.
[1] https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1334.html?artobj_artistId=1334&pageNumber=2#biography
lastly visited 02/12/2020. Fragment from: Suzanne Glover Lindsay, European Sculpture of the Nineteenth Century, (Princeton University Press, 2000)
[2] Antoine Etex, Les trois tombeaux de Géricault, 1837-1884, (Librairie académique Didier, 1885), p.27
[3] https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-121965457/, lastly visited 02/12/2020
[4] https://rkd.nl/en/explore/images/260637, lastly visited 02/12/2020
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