Joseph-Antoine Bernard (1866-1931) - Lot 160

Joseph-Antoine Bernard (1866-1931) Charmeuse also known as Woman with a snake Model created circa 1906-1907 Bronze with brown patina Signed "J Bernard" on the terrace Stamped "CIRE PERDUE A.A. HEBRARD" and numbered "(2)". H. 31 cm This graceful female figure, standing on tiptoe, back arched, left arm elegantly raised, encapsulates Joseph Bernard's highly personal style, rooted in an ode to the female body in motion, free from academic canons. In its overall composition, it is close to the body of long-silhouetted dancers that Joseph Bernard created around 1905, such as Danseuse nue, Danseuse voilée, Danse des Roses and Chute, also known as Femme se coiffant. The isolated figure was published by the renowned art dealer and collector Adrien-Aurélien Hébrard, who signed a contract with the artist in 1908 to market a series of small sculptures. The artist's catalog raisonné, written by René Julian in 1989, states that the number of proofs published is uncertain, probably amounting to four. Our copy bears the n°(2) on the terrace. Related literature: -René Jullian, Joseph Bernard, Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuses, Ed. Fondation de Coubertin, 1989, model listed under no. 101, p. 287