Large Bronze By Thomas François Cartier (1879-1936): Roaring Lion On A Rock

A superb and important bronze group depicting a roaring lion perched on a rock, signed on the side by Thomas François Cartier, a renowned animal sculptor of the second half of the 19th century. In perfect condition and resting on a very decorative period wooden case, this bronze showcases the artist's exceptional skill in chiseling and realism. Trained by the sculptor Georges Gardet, he less frequently depicted big cats. He worked at La Ruche and exhibited at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Artistes Français from the late 19th century. He won a gold medal at the 1927 Salon, as well as various other distinctions throughout his career. Thomas Cartier was born on February 21, 1879, in Marseille.[2] A student of Georges Gardet and Victor Peter, he specialized in animal sculpture. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1904 onwards, receiving an honorable mention in 1908, a second-class medal in 1910, and a gold medal in 1927, the year he was awarded hors concours (outside the competition).[3] During the First World War, he became an illustrator, producing numerous postcards of anti-German propaganda and support for the French soldiers. After the war, he settled in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye and designed many war memorials. Living at 6 rue Desaix in Paris, he died on April 26, 1936, in Saint-Vallier. Works in public collections: Nemours, Château-Musée: Portrait of Eugène Thoison, 1910, terracotta, 25 x 25 x 10 cm. 2019.311.1. Dog, stoneware, 17 x 27 x 22 cm. 1910.7.1. Lioness and cubs, patinated plaster, 51 x 29 x 26 cm. 1907.14.1. Greyhound, patinated plaster, 24 x 22 x 12 cm. 1903.51.1.