Louise Brongniart After Jean-antoine Houdon (1741–1828) Terracotta Bust – Late 19th Century

Louise Brongniart after Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741–1828) Terracotta Bust – Late 19th Century. A charming terracotta bust of Louise Brongniart, after the famous model created by the great French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741–1828). This work depicts Louise Brongniart (1772–1845), daughter of the architect Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart, famous for designing the Palais Brongniart in Paris. Houdon created this portrait around 1785, a work that has become emblematic of portraiture at the end of the 18th century, capturing with great sensitivity the sweetness and vivacity of childhood. The delicately modeled face displays an expression that is both gentle and lively, characteristic of Houdon's talent for capturing the life and psychology of his subjects. The updo and the slight movement of the head lend a great deal of naturalness and elegance to the whole. This late 19th-century terracotta cast faithfully reproduces the quality of the original: the delicate modeling of the face, the softness of the volumes, and the subtle rendering of the hair. The bust rests on an elegant integrated pedestal and bears the inscription “Louise Brongniart” on the back. The original Louise Brongniart model is now held in several major collections and museums, notably the Louvre, attesting to the importance of this work in the history of French sculpture. A charming, decorative, and timeless sculpture, inspired by one of the most celebrated portraits of children from the 18th century. Height: 47 cm. Very good overall condition.