Bronze Bas-relief Plaque, "portrait Of A Woman," Attributed To Jules Clamagirand (1870–1937)

Large bronze bas-relief plaque depicting a woman’s profile within an ornate architectural setting. Symbols of nightlife (singing bird, moons, fan, marionette...). Signature in the lower right attributed to Jules Clamagirand (1870–1937). Solid wood frame.

Dated circa 1900.

Dimensions: H 33 x W 23 x D 2.7 cm; bronze: H 32.3 x W 21.5 cm

Jules Clamagirand (Paris, 1870 – Tourcoing, 1937)

Sculptor and ornamental artist, a student of Truphème and Abel Poulain, he is said to have contributed to the creation of the sculptures on the Alexandre III Bridge in Paris. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1894 with a plaster medallion. Around 1899, he joined Louis Allard fils, a leading sculpture and decoration firm in Roubaix.

In 1906, he was awarded the title of Officer of the Academy, notably for his work on the decoration of the pavilions at the Tourcoing Textile Industry Exhibition; he then worked on architectural decorations, statues, ornamental designs, and funerary monuments.

Beginning in 1911, he taught sculpture and modeling at the École des Beaux-Arts in Tourcoing.

He contributed to the decoration of the Grand Théâtre de Lille, private homes in Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Lille, the Chapelle du Vœu in Tourcoing, and other sites.

This bronze plaque fits perfectly within this artist’s body of work; it likely adorned a house or a performance venue, as the numerous symbols refer to the performing arts (theater, opera, shows, etc.) or it may have served as a model for a larger commission.