Alexandre Charpentier

ALEXANDRE CHARPENTIER (Paris, 1856-Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1909).
"Maternity".
Patinated bronze.
Signed.
Measurements: 23,5 x 15,5 x 1 cm.
Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier was a French sculptor, medalist, craftsman and cabinetmaker. Of working-class origin and apprentice engraver as a young man, he became workshop assistant to the innovative medalist Hubert Ponscarme. Along with Ponscarme, Louis-Oscar Roty and other artists, Charpentier fostered a resurgence of artistry in French medal design. Among Charpentier's patrons was André Antoine, for whom he designed theater programs.
Charpentier experimented with a wide variety of formats and materials: pewter, marble, wood, leather and terracotta, the latter executed by the ceramic craftsman Emile Müller. He opened several cabinetmaking shops and designed numerous pieces of furniture. Many of his custom designs for accessories (doorknobs, door plates, window handles and the like) were later mass-produced and sold commercially.