ATTRIBUTABLE TO EMILE-ANTOINE BOURDELLE (FRENCH, 1861-1929): A BRONZE HEAD OF A LION FROM THE MONUMENT OF GENERAL ALVEAR

Catalogue Note:

Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, alongside Aristide Maillol, was considered to be France's greatest living sculptor after Rodin's death in 1917. Bourdelle was indeed Rodin's assistant or 'paticien' from 1893 until 1908, before becoming a teacher at the Grande Chaumière Academy, where his students included Alberto Giacometti. Throughout his career he was commissioned by various large institutions and bodies; this included the Argentine Government who asked Bourdelle to make the Monument to General Alvear in Buenos Aires in 1913. The contract was to undertake the design and making of a monument to the national icon,  General Carlos de Alvear, to mark the centenary of the revolution on 1808. The equestrian bronze was to be mounted on a 10ft high plinth, surrounded by four allegorical figures with the lions heads adorning each side. This lot is a bronze copy of one of the lion heads. Photographs of Bourdelle making the monument and the lion heads are held by the Musee Bourdelle in Paris. Other works by the artists can be seen at the Musee d'Orsay, Le Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon and Le Théâtre des Champs-Elysées à Paris. 

second image credit: Sergio Panei Pitrau, Wikipedia