Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) - Lot 24

Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) Woman with crab 1904 Bronze proof with brown-black patina and green highlights Published by Vollard, from 1904 ? Model n°20, "Femme au crabe" (Woman with a crab) Florentin Godard sand casting, without founder's mark, executed between 1907 and 1937 Artist's monogram "M" left and right on the terrace 16 x 14 x 13 cm Provenance : United States, private collection A certificate from Ursel Berger will be provided on request. We thank Mr Lorquin for his opinion. This opinion differs from Mrs. Ursel Berger's certificate. For Mr. Lorquin, this is not a cast by Florentin Godard. Several examples of this sculpture cast by Florentin Godard were acquired from Amboise Vollard. Copies can be found in major institutions around the world: ◆ Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain de Strasbourg, acquired in 1922 ◆ The Morozov Collection, acquired in 1910, and kept at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. ◆ Frankfurt's Städel Museum holds another bronze example, bearing the mark of the founders Bingen and Constenoble with whom Vollard worked on Maillol's works before 1907. As with the early casting of the example in the collections of New York's Metropolitan Museum (Bruno Adriani collection), Maillol's monogram appears twice on this proof, on the terrace. Related literature: Berger, Ursel, Lebon, Élisabeth, Maillol (re)découvert, Gourcuff Gradenigo, galerie Malaquais Figurative Arts Ltd, Paris, 2021. (Cat. no. 16, p. 102). In 1902, Ambroise Vollard organized Maillol's first monographic exhibition in his gallery. Buoyed by the success of this first exhibition, Vollard signed a contract with Maillol to publish 10 of his sculptures. A second contract followed in 1905 for 7 more. From 1907, on Maillol's recommendation, Vollard entrusted the production of the bronzes to the Florentin Godard foundryman, who became Vollard's exclusive foundryman from 1909, for whom he also cast works by Bonnard and Guino-Renoir. When, in 1909, collector Ivan Morozov commissioned Maillol to cast four large statues (Flore, Pomone, Le Printemps et l'Été) for his music salon, it was quite naturally Florentin Godard who was asked to cast them. The quality of his work soon attracted Laurens, Poupelet, Brancusi, Pompon, Picasso and art dealer Daniel-Henri Kahnweiler.