"satyr." Patinated Terracotta. Based On Models By Clodion, Claude Michel

“Satyr.” Patinated terracotta. Based on models by CLODION, Claude Michel (France, 1738-1814). Late 19th-early 20th century.
Patinated terracotta sculpture composed of an oval base decorated with simple architectural elements of classical influence and a tondo with a bust enhanced by a garland and two figures. The latter, reclining on the upper part, are a satyr (with his usual goat-like legs) raising a bunch of grapes, and a young nymph, who embraces him while trying to reach these fruits. Compare this sculpture (not so much the base) with the one titled “Nymph and Satyr” in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon (Portugal), linked to the sculptor Claude Michel, highlighting the similarities and differences. Pieces similar to the present work, also known as “Satyr Giving Grapes to a Nymph,” are held in several private collections. Claude Michel "Clodion" (1730-1814) was a French sculptor trained by Lambert Sigisbert Adam and Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. He was awarded numerous prizes (Prix de Rome in 1762, etc.) and had a large studio in Paris from 1771. Although he also produced large works, he is best known for his small-scale sculptures, made of bronze (or other materials such as corrugated iron or terracotta, for example), which had a very significant influence, both during the sculptor's lifetime and long after his death, on a large number of works inspired by his creations. -
Dimensions: 38x31x40 cm