“the Wrestlers,” A Group Sculpture Made Of White Sèvres Porcelain. Circa 1914

A hard-paste porcelain group depicting two young figures draped in the classical style, captured in the midst of a struggle, on an oval base bearing the incised title “LES LUTTEURS.” The composition is built around a taut diagonal line. On the right, the figure in the foreground—bare-chested, with drapery slipped down to her hips—leans forward, one knee bent, her right arm outstretched toward a basket of eggs resting on a pedestal. Behind her, the second figure—her hair held back by a headband, wearing a long tunic and a veil billowing with the movement—holds her in a tight embrace, one hand clenched against her face to push her away. The two bodies are entwined in a single knot: the sculptor has resolved the confrontation into a single compact form, legible from every angle. The setting clarifies the narrative. The small cylindrical pedestal, adorned with a row of pearls and a relief depicting Cupid’s attributes, supports a woven basket containing a heart. To its left stands a jug. The figures’ feet are shod in finely detailed strappy sandals. Marked “Sèvres” with the date 1914. Very fine condition.

Dimensions: H 23 cm – W 19 cm – D 14 cm

Sèvres, circa 1914.

Lit: The model is documented under this title in the Sèvres catalog. The National Museum of Ireland holds a Sèvres biscuit porcelain group identified as “Les Lutteurs (The Wrestlers),” dated around 1860, with a height of 17 cm.

Note: Bisque was invented in Vincennes around 1751 and developed at Sèvres under Falconet’s direction. Bisque is unglazed porcelain, whose fine, matte grain imitates statuary marble. With no glaze to hide imperfections, it allows for neither touch-ups nor corrections: each piece is removed from the mold, repaired by hand one by one, and then fired at a very high temperature, resulting in a considerable loss rate. This is what makes biscuit the most demanding—and the most prestigious—production at the manufactory.