Art Nouveau La Fontaines Fable Panel with The Crow and the Fox Motif in Repoussé Leather and Dinanderie, 1890s

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Description

Important Panel – La Fontaine’s Fable: The Crow and the Fox
Repoussé Leather & Dinanderie – Art Nouveau – Circa … Read more Important Panel – La Fontaine’s Fable: The Crow and the Fox
Repoussé Leather & Dinanderie – Art Nouveau – Circa 1890

A decorative masterpiece of remarkable scale, this panel encapsulates the rich aesthetic language of the late 19th century, at the crossroads of Symbolist and Naturalist influences within the Art Nouveau movement.

At the heart of an exquisite assembly combining wood, leather, and dinanderie, the scene from Jean de La Fontaine’s celebrated fable The Crow and the Fox is delicately rendered in repoussé leather.

The moment depicted is the dramatic climax, when the fox flatters the crow into dropping his cheese.

This central medallion, restored with respect for traditional techniques, features the organic, flowing lines so emblematic of the period.

It is set within a finely worked composition of repoussé, hammered, cut, and patinated copper and brass.
What may first appear as abstract forms gradually reveal, to the attentive eye, sinuous silhouettes evoking dragons or vouivres—legendary creatures drawn from medieval bestiaries and reimagined by the artists of the time.
Certain brass elements are delicately hammered to suggest a scaled texture, lending a near-tactile quality to the surface.

The entire piece is framed in patinated solid walnut, adding a sense of noble gravitas to this rare artwork.

Dimensions:
Height: 114 cm
Width: 90 cm
Depth: 4 cm

Condition: Expertly restored, treated, waxed, and patinated in our workshop with the utmost care.

A unique piece—testimony to artisanal craftsmanship and a time when decorative objects rose to the level of fine art. See less