Bacchanal After Clodion Superb Life-Size Figural Verdigris Maiden and Child

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This impressive life-size bronze Bacchanal group, conceived after Clodion, captures the exuberant spirit, sensuality, and theatrical movement that define the … Read more This impressive life-size bronze Bacchanal group, conceived after Clodion, captures the exuberant spirit, sensuality, and theatrical movement that define the finest French Neoclassical decorative sculpture. Cast in bronze with a richly nuanced green patina evocative of aged classical bronzes, the composition depicts a joyful Bacchanalian scene drawn from Greco-Roman mythology. Two animated adult figures—likely Bacchus and a companion—are shown in dynamic contrapposto, their bodies intertwined through gesture and rhythm, while a playful putto tugs energetically at the drapery below. The raised tambourine, cascading grape clusters, and flowing garments animate the surface, creating a vivid interplay of light and shadow that brings the sculpture fully into the round.

The figures are rendered with exceptional anatomical sensitivity and emotional expressiveness. Musculature is naturalistic yet idealized, drapery clings and billows with convincing weight, and the grapevine motifs—symbols of wine, abundance, and ecstasy—underscore the Bacchanalian theme. At life scale, the sculpture commands architectural presence, making it suitable as a focal point in a grand interior, conservatory, or garden setting. The surface patination enhances the depth of modeling, lending the work an appearance of historical gravitas while preserving crisp detail throughout.

This sculpture is executed in the tradition of Clodion (Claude Michel, 1738–1814), one of the most celebrated French sculptors of the late 18th century. Clodion was renowned for his mastery of small-scale terracotta figures and reliefs inspired by antiquity, particularly Bacchanalian subjects populated by satyrs, nymphs, and putti. A student of Jean-Baptiste Pigalle and a Prix de Rome laureate, Clodion spent formative years in Rome studying ancient sculpture, which profoundly influenced his lyrical style. His works are prized for their sensuality, fluid modeling, and refined balance between classical discipline and Rococo charm.

Original works by Clodion reside today in major museum collections, including the Louvre, and his compositions were widely admired and reproduced in bronze during the 19th and early 20th centuries for elite European interiors. This life-size Bacchanal bronze stands as a powerful homage to his legacy—uniting mythological storytelling, sculptural virtuosity, and decorative grandeur—making it a statement work of museum quality and enduring classical appeal.

Bronze. 2 women known as Bacchantes with child. 63 3/4" h x 44 3/4" w x 21 3/4" d.
Condition
As found in estate condition. See less