Pelican, Spelter Sculpture Signed L.artus

Pelican sculpture in patinated bronze spelter, signed L. Artus, pseudonym of Max Le Verrier (1891-1973), on its Genoa green marble base, a beautiful object suitable as a paperweight or bookend.

Max Le Verrier (1891-1973) was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris. Trained at the Geneva School of Fine Arts, he established his studio in Paris in 1919. He began sculpting animals in terracotta and created his famous Pelican. For many years, Max Le Verrier used the pseudonym Artus, later changing it to L. Artus, before abandoning it around 1922. It is very likely that Max Le Verrier chose to change his pseudonym to distinguish himself from Charles Artus. He won a gold medal in the sculpture category at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925. Building on this success, Le Verrier established his foundry, specializing in the production of spelter sculptures, and created pieces for numerous French sculptors, including his friends Marcel Bouraine and Pierre Le Fagu. Le Verrier was recognized during the Art Deco period for his sculptures of athletic women. He received a Medal of Honor at the International Exhibition in Paris in 1937.