Following Claude Michel Clodion's models; late 19th century.

Following models of CLAUDE MICHEL CLODION, (France, 1738-1814); late 19th century.
"Bacchus with satyr and putto".
Earthenware.
Signed "Clodion".
Measurements: 50 x 32 x 32 cm.
In this sculptural group, made of terracotta in round bulk represents a group of figures among which the presence of the god Bacchus stands out. The work is defined by the movement and expressiveness achieved by the author through the twisted movement of the bodies and facial expressions of the protagonists, especially that of the main character. As for the modeling, this stands out for its delicacy and great detail, which denotes the mastery of the sculptor, who, despite choosing a theme of mythical tradition, shows us an infinity of elements of great realism, such as the swirling hair, the vine leaves that crown the characters or the grapes. This mastery added to the subject matter brings us closer to the style of the master Clodion, thus evidencing that he is a follower.

Claude Michel, known as Clodion, was born in Nancy, but in 1755 he moved to Paris to study in the workshop of his uncle, the sculptor Lambert Sigisbert Adam, with whom he remained for four years. After his death, he became a disciple of Jean Baptiste Pigalle, Madame de Pompadour's favorite sculptor. Soon his work began to be recognized, and in 1759 he won the grand prize for sculpture at the Académie Royale. In 1761 he was awarded the first silver medal for studies on models, and a year later he obtained the Grand Prix of the Royal Academy, consisting of a pension to extend his training in Italy. In Rome Clodion developed an intense activity between 1767 and 1771. Back in Paris he established his own workshop, where he worked with his brothers representing mythological scenes, groups of dancers, nymphs and bathers, in a language somewhere between Rococo and Neoclassicism. His works were in great demand, from the Parisian salons to Catherine II of Russia. Clodion's works are preserved in the Louvre (Paris), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg), the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), the Art Institute of Chicago, the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), the Frick Collection (New York) and the Kimbell Museum (Forth Worth, Texas), among many others.