Henri Vidal (1864-1918) Asleep At La Fontaine

Bronze with a double patina, brown and gold, signed "H. Vidal."
Cast during the artist's lifetime and stamped by the foundryman Colin in Paris.
Circa 1900.

Dimensions:
Height - 100 cm
Width - 50 cm
Depth - 36 cm

Sculpture depicting a sleeping child at a fountain, in a gentle and serene posture, capturing both innocence and tranquility. The child, almost naked, is lying down and resting against an ornamental fountain, against a backdrop of stylized vegetation. The scene provides an opportunity for the artist to blend the themes of childhood and nature, while expressing the idea of ​​a peaceful communion between man and nature.

Henri Vidal is one of the most remarkable sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his bronze works, in which he realistically captures the beauty and vulnerability of the human figure. This sculpture belongs to the French academic tradition, but it also possesses a more intimate and dreamy dimension, characteristic of Art Nouveau and Symbolist tendencies.

Vidal's work is often compared to that of Pierre Jules Cavelier and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, although Vidal's work is distinguished by a particular fluidity, meticulous attention to body postures, and a lightness of expression.

This sculpture demonstrates great technical sophistication, with a burnished patina and gilded elements that highlight the decorative aspects of the bas-relief while reinforcing the sensuality of the scene.

Works in public collections:
Aix en Provence, Musée Granet: The Peasant of the Danube.
Paris, Tuileries Gardens: Cain Coming from Killing His Brother Abel, 1896, marble statue, 195 × 90 × 120 cm³. The plaster model was exhibited at the 1894 Salon.