Jules Desbois (1851–1935) – “le Baiser,” Rare Glazed Terracotta Sketch

Technical Specifications

• Artist: Jules Desbois (Parçay-les-Pins, 1851 – Paris, 1935)
• Title of the Work: Le Baiser (The Kiss)
• Period: Circa 1890 (Fin de Siècle)
• Style: Symbolist Sculpture / Rodin School
• Technique and Material: Hand-modeled terracotta with original burnished patina
• Dimensions: Width 20 cm | Height 13.5 cm
• Signature: Engraved in the clay on the base "J. Desbois"
• Condition: Excellent original condition, splendid period patina.

Description of the Work

A rare and captivating preparatory terracotta model with a patina depicting Le Baiser (The Kiss), an iconic composition created by the renowned French sculptor Jules Desbois (1851–1935) around 1890.

The Artist and His Connection to Auguste Rodin

Jules Desbois was one of Auguste Rodin’s closest, most esteemed, and most talented collaborators. He shared with his mentor a sculptural aesthetic, the expressive power of the human form, the rendering of taut musculature, and the pursuit of a vibrant, carnal emotionality. The theme of figures locked in a passionate embrace places the work at the heart of late-19th-century Symbolism, alongside the masterpieces of Rodin (Le Baiser) and Camille Claudel (Sakountala), while at the same time foreshadowing the organic language of Art Nouveau.

Museum References

The definitive model of this famous composition was created by Desbois around 1890 in glazed stoneware (grès émaillé) in collaboration with master ceramist Auguste Delaherche; this example is now housed at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Other examples and studies in plaster or bronze are found in the collections of the Petit Palais in Paris and in major international museums.

Analysis of the Example

This example stands out for the freshness and immediacy of its modeling: