Torse féminin assis dit aussi "Torse Morhardt," grand modèle

Details

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)
Torse féminin assis dit aussi "Torse Morhardt," grand modèle
with raised signature 'A. Rodin' (on the right leg); inscribed with foundry mark 'Alexis Rudier Fondeur PARIS' (on the left leg)
bronze with brown and green patina
Height: 15 in. (38.1 cm.)
Conceived circa 1895 and enlarged circa 1899; this bronze version cast in 1952

Provenance

Musée Rodin, Paris.
Edmond Guérin, Paris (acquired from the above, January 1955).
Bernardo Blatt Berla, Caracas (acquired from the above, January 1955).
San Francisco Galería, Caracas.
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, New York, 13 November 1996, lot 423.
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner.

Literature

J.L. Tancock, The Sculpture of Auguste Rodin, Philadelphia, 1976, p. 292, no. 46-7 (smaller plaster version illustrated, p. 293; titled Torso of a Woman Clasping Her Left Leg).
A. Le Normand-Romain, The Bronzes of Rodin, Catalogue of Works in the Musée Rodin, Paris, 2007, vol. II, p. 685, no. S. 521 (another cast illustrated).

Brought to you by

David Kleiweg de Zwaan

dkleiwegdezwaan@christies.com +1 212 636 2050

Lot Essay

This work will be included in the forthcoming Auguste Rodin catalogue critique de l'oeuvre sculpté currently being prepared by the Comité Auguste Rodin at Galerie Brame et Lorenceau under the direction of Jérôme Le Blay under the archive number 2008-1952B.

Torse féminin assis initially took the name Torse Morhardt after its first owner, Matias Morhardt. Morhardt was a journalist and critic from Geneva, who was a staunch admirer of the sculptor and who stood up for Rodin when he was criticized for giving his Muse tragique to the city of Geneva.

More from Impressionist and Modern Day Sale

View All