Bust Of Corneille - Désiré Marie 1825 - 1876

Sculptor: Désiré Pierre Louis MARIE. Born in Anisy, Calvados, on October 8, 1825. Died in Paris 3rd arrondissement, on November 7, 1876. Period: Circa 1860-1875. School: French School of Sculpture. Dimensions: Height: approximately 31 cm. Square base with canted corners: 9 cm. Signature: Under the shoulder: D. Marie. Title: On the base: Corneille. Material: Bronze with a medal patina. Some wear to the patina.

Désiré MARIE is one of those many talented 19th-century sculptors whom subsequent centuries have forgotten. Born in the small village of Anisy, north of Caen in Calvados, he was, as indicated in the catalogue of the 1861 Salon, a student of the sculptor Armand Toussaint (1806-1862). This bust, very classical in style, represents Pierre Corneille, the famous 17th-century French poet and playwright. The sculptor has given the poet a serious and expressive face. His high, clear forehead and deep, slightly slanted eyes convey the tragedian's thoughtfulness and gravity. He sports the thin mustache and pointed beard fashionable during the reign of Louis XIV. Her long, wavy, natural hair falls over her shoulders. The particularly meticulous rendering of the fabric folds reinforces the classicism of the work, and adds realism and depth to the whole. The overall expression of the face, with its noble and meditative features, conveys the image of a demanding and passionate man of letters, concerned with moral truth and grandeur, like his tragic heroes.