Henri Duvoisin 1877–1959 Oil On Canvas, Still Life With A Dancing Faun, Bacchus, Empire-style Frame

Henri DUVOISIN (1877–1959), Swiss painter
Oil on canvas, Still Life with Dancing Faun and Bowl of Grapes
French Empire frame (Napoleon)

Oil on canvas signed “H. Duvoisin” and dated “1928” in the lower right corner.

A work from the Art Deco period, revisited through the lens of classical antiquity, conceived as a theatrical and allegorical still life centered on the theme of wine.

The composition depicts a statuette placed on a flat base, probably a representation in bronze or spelter, strongly inspired by the famous Dancing Faun of Pompeii. Beside it is arranged a silver or silver-plated metal bowl, topped with overflowing bunches of red and purple grapes. The iconography is bacchanalian in character, particularly suited to the decoration of a dining room or a collector’s cabinet.

The painting technique is remarkable, characterized by vigorous use of impasto. The thick application of paint on the grapes gives the work an evident sculptural and tactile quality, ideally enhanced by raking light. The chromatic contrast is carefully controlled: the background is treated in grisaille, while the cool appearance of the metallic elements—the statuette and bowl—contrasts with the saturated purple and violet tones of the fruit.

The canvas is enhanced by a period First Empire gilt wood and stucco frame. Its rich and finely executed ornamentation is typical of the Napoleonic style, composed of palmette motifs on the reserved panels and swan figures in the spandrels. The gilding retains a beautiful overall brilliance.

Very satisfactory state of preservation. The paint layer shows a sound, regular craquelure pattern with no lifting. The canvas remains on its original stretcher and has not been relined. The frame presents a few small old signs of wear, formerly restored and regilded.

Measurements:
• Height with frame: 52 cm
• Width with frame: 44 cm
• Sight height: 40 cm
• Sight width: 32 cm

Henri DUVOISIN was an artist born in Switzerland in 1877 and died in 1959. His works have appeared at public auction 62 times. The earliest sale recorded by Artprice dates back to 1992 at Dobiaschofsky Auktionen AG (painting), while the most recent concerns the work Bord du Léman, presented in 2025 (painting).

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