Patinated Bronze Wall Medallion Signed By Joe Descomps

This elegant circular bronze wall plaque with a nuanced patina, signed by the renowned French sculptor and goldsmith Joe Descomps (1869–1950), depicts a mythological scene that is both poetic and full of grace. The bas-relief composition depicts a veritable pastoral bacchanal in a clearing bathed in mystery: on the right, a satyr seated on a rock enlivens the gathering with the sound of his double pipe. Enchanted by the melody, several nymphs with delicately sculpted figures lose themselves in reverie or launch into an ethereal dance, one of them fluttering a soft veil in a gesture full of sensuality. In a forest undergrowth teeming with lush vegetation, against which the subdued silhouette of an ancient columned temple stands out, the sculptor captures the full harmony of the female nude—a defining feature of his art at the crossroads of Art Nouveau and early Art Deco. The border, delicately outlined by a frieze of leafy garlands, completes this sculptural composition. Enhanced over time by a dark patina that reveals magnificent verdigris reflections in the recesses of the relief, this piece bears witness to the artist’s exquisite craftsmanship and retains its cast iron mark on the reverse, as well as its original hanging ring.