French Art Deco Bronze Panther On A Marble Base With A Jade Border, Hand-signed Leduc.

French Art Deco bronze panther on a marble base with a jade border, hand-signed LEDUC.

This object is a very rare representation of a panther playing with a ball.
The seated animal is in an attacking position, with bared teeth, flattened ears, and a paw extended to strike the ball.
The scene is skillfully captured, and the materials and colors are harmonious. The jade border is interrupted at the front and back by black marble stripes, and the panther has a beautiful patina.
Jade exhibits various shades, ranging from light to slightly richer.
The stone also contains white inclusions, but no chipped corners or edges.


Arthur Jacques LEDUC (1848-1918) Arthur-Jacques Le Duc trained in the workshop of animal sculptor Pierre Le Nordez at the École des Beaux-Arts in Caen. He settled in Paris in 1872 and regularly exhibited animal motifs in plaster, earthenware, bronze, and ceramic at the Salon between 1890 and 1907, inspired by the works of Antoine-Louis Barye. Fascinated by horses, Le Duc created several equestrian portraits, including the monument to Constable de Richemont in Vannes, which is more in line with the historicist style.