Jean René Gauguin “Havtyren” / 'Sea Bull' Sculpture for Bing & Grøndahl, Denmark

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Jean René Gauguin, “Havtyren” Monumental Glazed Faience Sea Bull Sculpture for Bing & Grøndahl, Denmark, circa 1930

A monumental and … Read more Jean René Gauguin, “Havtyren” Monumental Glazed Faience Sea Bull Sculpture for Bing & Grøndahl, Denmark, circa 1930

A monumental and rare sculptural masterwork by Jean René Gauguin, titled Havtyren (The Sea Bull), created for the celebrated Bing & Grøndahl manufactory in Copenhagen circa 1930. Measuring an impressive 25 inches high x 26 inches wide x 10 inches deep, with a 12 x 8 inch base, this commanding ceramic group depicts a mythological sea nymph astride a powerful sea bull as it rises through stylized, surging waves. The composition is charged with movement and elemental force, capturing Gauguin’s singular ability to fuse myth, modernism, and sculptural drama.

Unlike traditional Danish porcelain, this work is executed in faience and glazed stoneware, allowing for a more expressive surface and bold physical modeling. The sculpture is richly finished in Gauguin’s characteristic palette of turquoise, sea-green, lavender, and soft amethyst glazes over an ivory ground, with layered textures that heighten the sense of motion and depth. Thick, hand-applied glazing and bold contours emphasize the raw, primitivist energy that defines Gauguin’s most important work.

Jean René Gauguin, son of Paul Gauguin, was a central figure in early 20th-century Scandinavian ceramic modernism. His collaboration with Bing & Grøndahl produced some of the most ambitious sculptural ceramics of the interwar period, of which Havtyren is widely considered a pinnacle achievement. Monumental examples of this model are exceptionally scarce and represented in major Scandinavian museums and private collections. This sculpture stands as a true museum-level work with extraordinary visual presence and historical significance. See less