Simone Boutarel (1892-1987) - "guinea Fowl"

Rare bronze edition with a brown patina. Sand cast. Bears the mark of the Fonderie des Artistes "CFA Paris" on the plinth at the back. Signed "S. Boutarel". Circa 1920-1930. Dimensions: Height: 25 cm, Length: 17.5 cm, Depth: 12.7 cm. "Treated with great restraint and remarkable sensitivity, the artist accurately captures the characteristic appearance of this bird: inclined head, ample and stylized body, and slender legs giving an impression of liveliness. Its dark patina, nuanced with subtle reflections, highlights the volumes and clean lines of the sculpture. Simone Boutarel is an artist renowned for her talent and her simultaneously tender and modern perspective on the animal world. She succeeded in carving out a place for herself in the select circle of early 20th-century sculptors." Biography: Born in Paris on March 5, 1892, Simone Boutarel died in Nyons on August 21, 1987. A French sculptor and medalist, she trained under Paul Landowski and Édouard Fraisse, from whom she retained their technical rigor while developing a more decorative and refined artistic style. A member of the Société des Artistes Français, she exhibited from the mid-1920s at the Salon des Artistes Français, where she primarily presented small animal sculptures in stone or bronze—guinea fowl, pigeons, cats—as well as busts. She won a bronze medal there in 1929, then a silver medal in 1931, before being recognized again at the 1937 Universal Exposition. Simultaneously, Simone Boutarel also exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants and, more occasionally, at the Salon d'Automne. Her work falls within a figurative vein, marked by a simplification of forms and a particular attention to volume, sometimes reminiscent of François Pompon's animal aesthetic, while retaining a personal sensibility. She participated in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, as part of the official art competitions, submitting drawings on sporting subjects in the painting category. These competitions, then considered on par with the sporting events, comprised five disciplines: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture. Among her rare monumental works is the set of bronze ornaments for the gates of the market in Falaise (Normandy). Her works are now held in several public collections: the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the British Museum possess medals by the artist, while the Fonds d'art contemporain de la Ville de Paris (City of Paris Contemporary Art Fund) holds a stone Pigeon. Galerie Paris Manaus