Rosa Bonheur 1822-1899 - Animal Bronze - The Rooster With The Lizard

Magnificent and rare 19th-century bronze animal sculpture depicting a rooster perched on a rock, observing a lizard. The work is signed by the renowned painter and sculptor Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899), to whom the Bénézit dictionary devotes a significant chapter and whose comprehensive biography can be found on Wikipedia. A native of Bordeaux, she was a celebrated artist in the 19th century, frequently receiving awards and medals, achieving international acclaim, particularly in the United States where her works were often exhibited. In the 20th century, she fell somewhat into obscurity before being rediscovered in the 21st century, experiencing a genuine resurgence of interest among collectors, the media, and museums in recent years. In 2022 and 2023, the Musée d'Orsay and the Château de Fontainebleau will dedicate a major exhibition to her, bringing together nearly 200 works. Note: the piece offered here has a beautiful patina and two illegible stamps on it. The reverse side of the rock (see last photo), presumably from the foundry: it should be noted that this is a rather rare subject, since out of the 420 sculptures listed on the "Art-Price" auction results website, only one example, titled "The Rooster with the Lizard," was sold in 2024 /Source: Art-Price. Size: Height: 19 cm - Width: 15.5 cm - Weight: 1.8 kg - Ask me for other photos if needed.