Mid 20th Century Art Deco Patinated Bronze Two Panthers After Michel Decoux on Marble Base

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Have you ever seen a more smug couple of Aristcats in your life? strolling up Park Avenue eyeing all the … Read more Have you ever seen a more smug couple of Aristcats in your life? strolling up Park Avenue eyeing all the well to do? Putting on the Ritz.
A wonderfully stylish French Art Deco-style sculptural group depicting two striding panthers, executed in patinated bronze and mounted upon a dramatic polished black and variegated green marble plinth.

The composition is associated with the work of noted animalier sculptor Michel Decoux, whose highly stylized panthers epitomize the streamlined elegance and exoticism of French Art Deco sculpture of the 1920s and 1930s. A signed Decoux example of this two-panther model is documented in specialist literature and the model itself has appeared in authenticated period examples.

The two cats are captured mid-stride, their elongated legs, sweeping tails and remarkably economical modeling creating a wonderful sense of movement. Rather than relying upon anatomical detail, the sculptor reduces the animals to beautifully flowing planes and curves—the distinctly modern approach that made the panther such an enduring icon of the Art Deco period.

Particularly attractive is the deep green-brown patination, with areas of verdigris appearing across the bodies and emphasizing their sculptural contours. The bronze contrasts beautifully against the glossy black upper plinth and richly mottled green stone base.

And despite their supposedly predatory intentions, these two have considerable personality: heads held high, noses in the air and marching forward with an unmistakably aristocratic self-assurance.

A superb decorative sculpture for a console, library, desk or mantel, with an exceptionally strong silhouette from virtually every viewing angle.

Dimensions: 6”H × 20”W × 4.25”D
Style: Art Deco
Period: 20th Century
Artist/Design: After Michel Decoux
Materials: Patinated bronze, marble/stone
Condition: Excellent vintage condition See less