Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) - Lot 25

Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) Study for the Monument à Blanqui - Action enchaînée, 1905 Bronze proof with brown patina, cast between 1907 and 1930 Florentin Godard sand casting, without founder's mark Monogrammed on the base H. 32.5 x 17.5 x 7.5 cm Provenance : France, private collection A certificate from Ursel Berger will be provided on request. We thank Mr Lorquin for his opinion. This opinion differs from Mrs. Ursel Berger's certificate. For Mr. Lorquin, this is not a cast by Florentin Godard. In 1905, Aristide Maillol received his first major public commission for his home town of Puget-Théniers: the Monument à Auguste Blanqui. This print is one of the models probably used for preparatory studies. In 1907, this study is mentioned in the list of Maillol statuettes for which Vollard acquired the publishing rights. A photograph of Count Kessler, a great admirer of Maillol, also shows a copy in the background. Today, two other copies are listed: ◆ Metropolitan Museum of Art (Former Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Loria Collection) New York, USA ◆ Allen Memorial Art museum (acquired 1950), Oberlin, USA Related literature: Berger, Ursel, Lebon, Élisabeth, Maillol (re)découvert, Gourcuff Gradenigo, galerie Malaquais Figurative Arts Ltd, Paris, 2021. (Cat. no. 13, p. 96) In 1902, Ambroise Vollard organized Maillol's first monographic exhibition in his gallery. Buoyed by the success of this first exhibition, Vollard signed a contract with Maillol to publish 10 of his sculptures. A second contract followed in 1905 for 7 more. From 1907, on Maillol's recommendation, Vollard entrusted the production of the bronzes to the Florentin Godard foundryman, who became Vollard's exclusive foundryman from 1909, for whom he also cast works by Bonnard and Guino-Renoir. When, in 1909, collector Ivan Morozov commissioned Maillol to cast four large statues (Flore, Pomone, Le Printemps et l'Été) for his music salon, it was quite naturally Florentin Godard who was asked to cast them. The quality of his work soon attracted Laurens, Poupelet, Brancusi, Pompon, Picasso and art dealer Daniel-Henri Kahnweiler.