Marcel Début (1865–1933) – *le Soir*, A Bronze Sculpture By Marcel Début Depicting A Young Reaper

An elegant bronze by Marcel Début depicting a young reaper, titled Le Soir.

Standing, wearing his wide peasant hat, the young man holds his long scythe and appears to be taking a moment’s rest after working in the fields. The simplicity of his posture, the highly precise rendering of his costume, and the character’s naturally proud expression give this sculpture a particularly endearing presence.

The bronze bears on its base the cartouche “LE SOIR” and the artist’s signature M. Début.

The son of the famous sculptor Didier Début, Marcel Début belongs to that generation of late 19th-century French artists who, straddling academic tradition and realistic observation, revitalized genre sculpture. A student of his father and later of Henri Chapu at the École des Beaux-Arts, he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français as early as 1883 and received an Honorable Mention in 1895, before becoming a member of the Salon. Musée d’Orsay

As much a painter as a sculptor, Marcel Début was drawn to historical figures, scenes of daily life, and rural and Orientalist subjects. His bronze works are now highly sought after for the finesse of their execution, the quality of their patinas, and his very personal way of bringing everyday figures to life.

*Le Soir* is a fine example of his work: a piece that is at once elegant, decorative, and deeply representative of late 19th-century French sculpture.

Bronze with a chocolate-brown patina.
Height: 40 cm.
Signed M. Début.
Cartouche: “Le Soir.”

A lovely collector’s piece, particularly decorative, that will also naturally find its place in a contemporary interior.