Sculpture - Free Horse , Irenee Felix Rene Rochard (1906-1984) - Bronze

A bronze sculpture with a brown patina , depicting a raised front horse , by the sculptor Irenee Rochard (1906-1984) .
The horse is shown in motion , its posture light and airy , emphasizing its free spirit .
The sculptor's signature , "I.ROCHARD" , is incised on the rectangular , naturalistic base .
This is an early edition sculpture , dating from the 20th century , Art Deco period .
It is in excellent condition , both in terms of preservation and patina .

Dimensions : 19.5 cm x 25 cm x 7.4 cm

Irenee Felix Rene Rochard (1906-1984)

Irenee Rochard is a French animal sculptor , born in January 1906 , in Villefranche-sur-Saône , in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes . 

Coming from a family of artists , he turned very early towards this path . 
From 1924 to 1928 , Irenee Rochard studied at the Schools of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts. 
In 1938 , he joined the Society of French Artists and received several prizes and distinctions for his sculptures. 

During the interwar period , the young artist met François Pompom , Edouard Sandoz and other artists from the animal sculpture community . 
Irénée Rochard then realized that he enjoyed working on this theme and decided to embark on this practice . 
If Irénée Rochard appreciated the sculpture of animals so much , it was because it allowed him to "pay homage" to them. 
His objective was to show their personality and to bring out the most important aspects of their personality , their gentleness or their ferocity . 
The realism of his sculptures is also the result of very great observation skills for the time . 
His rigor and the harmony of his production place him in an Art Deco style .

At the time , the sculptor worked mainly from bronze , but also created sculptures in ceramic , wood , in granite or even in marble . His work has always stood out from that of other sculptors thanks to its modern style of workmanship , the elegance and grace of its forms .
This aesthetic was inspired by the work of François Pompon and Edouard-Marcel Sandoz . 
Irenee Rochard will also dedicate part of his career to a collaboration with the Italian sculptor Ugo Ciprani . 

From the end of his studies , his work was appreciated by the public and critics . 
The dozens of awards he received during his career , including the Taylor Prize and the Prize of the Institute of Fine Arts , demonstrate the interest that was shown in his work . 
The sculptor died in January 1984 in Paris .