Marquet Alix – Faun's Head – Bronze – Circa 1914 – Signed

Alix Marquet (1875-1939)
Bronze bust with nuanced brown patina, circa 1914
Dimensions: H. 40 cm × W. 17 cm × D. 15 cm
Weight: 13.5 kg

This expressive sculpture depicts a faun's head imbued with joyful Bacchic vitality. Taken from the monumental group "The Vines of the Lord," created in 1914, this work testifies to Alix Marquet's talent for capturing the unbridled spirit of ancient mythology.

The modeling reveals a masterful treatment of fantastical anatomy: the radiant face sports a mischievous smile with parted lips revealing the teeth, while the sparkling gaze evokes Dionysian intoxication. The curly hair blends with a crown of vine leaves and generously sculpted bunches of grapes, symbols of Bacchus and his pleasures. Two horns emerge naturally from this luxuriant composition. The finely chiseled, forked beard and the detailed rendering of the neck and shoulder musculature demonstrate excellent technical skill.

The brown patina, enriched with subtle verdigris nuances in the recesses, gives the piece remarkable depth and underscores the quality of the casting. Signed "Alix Marquet" on the base, with the "Médaille d'Honneur" stamp on the left side and the number 7037 on the back.

Black marble base veined with white and ochre. One very small chip on the rear right corner.

The artist
Born in 1875 in Oudan, Nièvre, Alix Marquet died in Paris in 1939. The son of a stonemason from Prémery, he developed his passion for sculpture and drawing at a very young age. Supported by the poet Achille Millien, he settled in Paris where he led a brilliant career.

An exceptional honorary career.
A member of the Salon des Artistes Français, Marquet accumulated distinctions: third-class medals in 1901, second-class in 1903, first-class in 1905, and the national prize in 1907. He received the Legion of Honour in 1910 and became vice-president of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and of the Société des Artistes Français, of which he was named a perpetual member in 1936.

A diverse body of work.
Marquet's repertoire encompassed all genres: monumental allegories, mythological subjects, portraits, and public commissions. Among his major works are The Rock of Sisyphus (1933), a monumental bronze group in the Parc Saint-Lambert in Paris, the bust of Jean Jaurès (1928) housed in the Palais Bourbon, and the statue on the Nevers war memorial, inaugurated in 1923 by Raymond Poincaré.

Deeply attached to his native region, Marquet also signed his paintings under the pseudonym Marc Aluet. A complete and renowned artist during his lifetime, he embodies the French academic tradition, combining technical virtuosity with a commitment to public commissions.

Artwork on display at the gallery (07240).
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