French Art Deco
Max Le Verrier
‘Boubou’ Desk Lamp
Patinated Bronze &
Marble
ca. 1920
DETAILS Signed, original black & white marble base, period
wiring and fittings.
DIMENSIONS Height: 6.5 inches Width: 3.5 inches Depth: 5.5 inches
ABOUT THE LAMP
A charming and very funny monkey named Boubou, excited by some suspicious sounds, decided to shine a lantern and discover the source and origin. The sculptural interpretation of this scene with a simple plot by a wonderful French sculptor turns a seemingly small trivial table lamp into a real work of art - with such skill the author conveys its emotional state, a mixture of fright and curiosity!
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Louis Octave Maxime Le Verrier (French, 1891 – 1973), known more commonly as Max Le Verrier, also known by the pseudonym Artus was a famous French sculptor. He was known for being a pioneer within the Parisian Art Deco movement, creating decorative art objects often made in bronze as well as historical sculptures.
Max le Verrier was born
on the in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, in 1891. His mother was Belgian and
his father was a Parisian goldsmith and jeweler on Boulevard Malesherbes in
Paris. His parents divorced when he was 7 years old. Le Verrier attended
several boarding schools (Collège de Verneuil sur Avre) and was a brilliant
student. He grew an interest for drawing and art during his education.
However, his father thought that his future would be in farming, therefore he
sent Max to study agriculture (St. Sever and La Réole) against Ma’s wishes.
However, Max Le Verrier kept his liking for sculpture during his spare time
lively. At the age of 16, he returned to Paris and did odd jobs to escape
farm-work and to provide for himself. (His father emancipated him, and, as a
result, he was left to fend for himself).
In 1909, when he was 18, he left for England. As a foreigner, it was very
difficult for him to find a job in London; refusing to come back to France and
admitting defeat, he lived very difficult days. From an early age he showed
great promise as an artist and sculptor; and after serving in the French army
during World War I, he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Geneva. During
his studies in Switzerland he met fellow sculptors Pierre le Faguays and Marcel
Bouraine, who became close friends and with whom he collaborated for much of
his life.
After completing his studies, le Verrier returned to France in 1919, and
founded his own studio in Paris. It was at this time that he created his first
popular sculpture, the famous 'Pelican' - which was the first of a long line of
animal figures that bore his name. Also, Artus is Max Le Verrier's pseudonym.
Le Verrier was awarded a Gold medal for his sculptures at the 1925 Paris
l'Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels (the famous exhibition from
which the term 'Art Deco' was derived). In 1926, le Verrier opened his own
foundry, casting pieces for a wide range of French sculptors of the period,
including Pierre Le Faguays, Marcel Bouraine, Janle, Denis, and Charles.
He gained a reputation for the very high quality work, exceptional detailing
and accuracy of the items that his firm produced. Interestingly, the foundry
did not cast in bronze as is commonly assumed, because le Verrier felt that he
could achieve better detail by using his own proprietary mix of metals. At the
same time as running his foundry, le Verrier continued to sculpt his own
creations, and in the 1920's he became famous for his studies of woman as part
of the Art Deco era's fascination with the ideal female form. His female
figures are characterised by a lithe athleticism and perfect symmetry; and are
highly regarded and much sought after. Le Verrier continued working throughout
the 1930's - receving a medal of honor at the Paris International Exhibition in
1937 - before being arrested in 1944 for his resistance activities against the
Nazi-backed regime. He reopened his studio after World War II, and continued to
sculpt until his death in 1973
AUTHENTICITY WE GUARANTEE THE
AUTHENTICITY OF ALL ITEMS TO BE AS REPRESENTED
Ashville Fine Arts Gallery specializes in a variety of fine art, antiques, jewelry, collectibles and rare finds. If you have not seen something that interests you or that you collect, please visit often and check our ever-expanding inventory. We make a best effort to provide a fair and descriptive condition report. Please examine the photos attentively, as they are an integral part of item descriptions.
SHIPPING WE SELL & SHIP WORLDWIDE
Domestic & International Customers are Welcome! We reserve the right to use another shipping carrier or method other than what is listed, to ensure your purchase is delivered securely. Please contact us if you require a specific shipping carrier. In the event if the dimensions and weight of the purchased item exceed those allowed by USPS, the shipping charges estimates, specified in the general item description should be considered incorrect. A valid shipping-cost estimate shall be arranged with the Buyer in accordance with a destination, type of shipping selected, insurance etc. International Buyers, please check your country Customs regulations, as we are not responsible for any customs fee or duty after international shipping is posted! Import duties and taxes are the Buyer's responsibility and are not included in the price you have paid for an item. Hand delivery is complimentary to New York City Buyers.
INSURANCE ALL ITEMS ARE CAREFULLY
PACKED AND INSURED
Please do not attempt to return an item due to shipping damage. Should it occur in spite of our careful packaging, this must be handled through the shipping agent with an insurance claimed with the insurance company. Always be sure to retain all original packaging if a claim is to be made, as the shipping agent may request to examine it.
INQUIRIES PLEASE SEND US A MESSAGE
If you have any
questions regarding shipping; need additional information about any of our
listings or discuss price - please, feel free to contact us and we will be glad
to assist you further with any inquiries.