Léon Ernest Drivier (1878-1951) Portrait... - Lot 122 - Crait + Müller

Léon Ernest Drivier (1878-1951) Portrait of Albert Dubarry (1872-1928) Brown bronze bust Signed "DRIVIER" on the back Bears the founder's stamp "MONTAGUTELLI FONDEUR CIRE PERDUE". H. 60 cm A student of Barrias at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Léon-Ernest Drivier began his career as a practitioner for Auguste Rodin. A falling-out between the two artists over his marble transposition of the master's Jour et la Nuit and their irreversible break-up enabled him to explore other avenues, notably those of the independents and then the "Bande à Schnegg", whose members advocated a liberation from official art and academic classicism. In 1923, Drivier even became one of the founders of the Salon des Indépendants. Along with his elders Pompon, Bourdelle, Bernard and Despiau and his younger brothers Wlérick, Jannniot, Osouf and Dejean, Drivier became one of the leaders of modern French sculpture. He received numerous private and public commissions, both decorative and monumental.