Sculpture - Clotilde De Surville , Jean Gautherin (1840-1890) - Bronze

Important and majestic bronze group , with double patina , brown and gold , depicting the famous poet Clotilde de Surville , carrying her child in her arms , by the sculptor Jean Gautherin (1840-1890) .
Through this work , an allegory of "Motherhood", the sculptor highlights the sweetness of maternal bonds , of infinite and unconditional love .
The mother looks tenderly at her baby , whom she holds against her , in a tender and protective gesture .
An intimate scene full of sweetness , illustrating the poem by Clotilde de Surville (1405-1498) "Verselets to my first-born".
We can read on the bronze cartouche , located in the center of the terrace , the first verse of this poem :
"SURVILLE CLOTHILDE
O dear child , true punishment of your father ,
Sleep on the breast that your mouth has pressed !
Sleep, little one ; cloz, amy, on the seyn of your mother ,
Your sweet carnation by the oppressed sum !
CLOTILDE de SURVILLE - 1421" 
Signature of the sculptor "J.GAUTHERIN" in hollow , on the right side of the terrace .
Mark of the founder "F.BARBEDIENNE.Fondeur.Paris", on the left side of the terrace .
Circular stamp "Achille Collas", affixed from 1848 on the bronzes published by Ferdinand Barbedienne , on the back .
Sculpture of old edition , period end of the 19th century .
Perfect state of conservation and patina .

Dimensions : 87 cm x 32 cm x 33 cm

Jean Gautherin (1840-1890)

Jean Gautherin is a French sculptor and painter , born on December 19 , 1840 , in Ouroux-en-Morvan .
He began his apprenticeship in the workshop of Charles Gumery , where he was a practitioner for a time .
Subsequently , he joined the workshop of Auguste Dumont .
He entered the School of Fine - Arts in 1864 , and followed the teaching of the sculptors Charles Gumery , Augustin Dumont and Paul Dubois .
He made his debut at the Salon of 1865 , where he obtained a medal in 1868 and 1870 , and a third-class medal in 1873 .
In 1878 and 1889 , he received a Gold Medal at the Universal Exhibition .

In 1885 , he spent several weeks in Copenhagen , where the collector and patron "Carl Jacobsen" commissioned him to sculpt a portrait of "Princess Dagmar", the future Tsarina Maria Feodorovna[a] .
A large collection of his works is preserved in Copenhagen at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek , founded by Jacobsen .
Jean Gautherin always produced many portraits .
In 1876 , he returned to composing large figures and groups , giving successively his "Saint Sebastian" in marble , and "Clotilde de Surville" .
In 1881 , he was elected member of the "Sculpture Committee" of the "Committee of Ninety French Artists" : painters , sculptors , engravers , architects , responsible for drafting the statutes of the Society of French Artists .

His most famous works are :

Clotilde de Surville, symbol of motherhood .
The group "Paradise Lost", at the Champs-Elysées Palace .
The statues of Diderot , on the Place de Saint-Germain of Pres .
Work , Luxembourg Gardens .
Industry and Commerce , at the Trocadero .
He designed the Seasons motifs for the house of Christofle .
His works can also be found in Copenhagen , with the statue of the Empress of Russia , Maria Feodorowna , widow of Alexander III .

He died at the dawn of his fifties , at the height of his talent .
On July 21 , 1890 , he was buried in Paris at the Montparnasse cemetery .