Fernand Debonnaires (1907-1997). Original Plaster. "silence, Head Of A Man". 1938.

Original plaster to hang. Monogrammed, titled and dated.
Dimensions: 30 x 24 x 22 cm.
Fernand Debonnaires (1907-1997).
Belgian sculptor, he was born in St Gilles (Brussels). In 1918 he left school at the age of 11 to regularly attend the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels under the direction of I. de Rudder, P. Dubois and V. Rousseau. In 1928, he won the Godecharle Prize, thanks to which he traveled to France, Italy and London. He was awarded the Prix de Rome three times. He won the Rubens Prize in 1933. 1951 Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, 1969 he was elected member of the Academy of Belgium. Best-known works: - "The Apprentice" at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. - "Head of a Man", "Bather in the Sun", "Young Girl" at the Brussels Museum. - "Torso" and "Reclining Figure" at the Liège Museum. - "Self-portrait" in Ghent. - "Standing Figure" in La Louvière. - "The Beautiful Season" at the Ixelles Museum. Unbeatable in portraiture, he sculpted the busts of Dumont Wilden, de Beukelaar, Marie Gevers, Adolphe Max, Jean Absil, Paul-Henri Spaak, Philibert Cockx, Lucien Cooremans, Martin, former director at the Royale Belge, etc. Fernand Debonnaires is also known for his monumental works - "St Amand" (stone 3.25m) at the church of Laeken - "Virgin of Orval" (bronze 3.25m) - "The Machinist" in front of two bas-reliefs entitled "The Liberation" and dedicated to the railway workers resisting at the - Central Station in Brussels.