Buste de Flore (Bust of Flora)
Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-87)
1865-70
Bronze, with mid and dark brown patination
Height 22 inches (57 cm)
Signed A. Carrier-Belleuse and inscribed Jules Graux, fondeur
"Carrier-Belleuse's vast output as a sculptor due to a combination of business acumen and great talent, rarely found in great artists, means that the quality of finish of his works varies enormously. This bust, no doubt based on his favourite model Sophie Croisette with her distinctive dimple, shows the master at his best both in his modelling and the quality of the execution of the casting. The sculpture is pure Belle Epoque combining the ideal female portrait while imbuing it with a sensual character. The young Sophie looks coyly at the viewer, elegant yet enticing.
"On this occasion Carrier has chosen the Graux foundry to cast the work and clearly the instruction was to produce a work of outstanding quality, no doubt for an International Exhibition. Cast in one piece the whole is chiselled with a jewel like texture, the subtle tones of the patina emphasising the subtle relief of the hair." — Robert Bowman