FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 1
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 2
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 3
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 4
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 5
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 6
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 7
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE - photo 8

FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE

Lot 87
26.03.2025 15:00UTC +01:00
Classic
To bid, go to the website
CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationFrance, Paris
ID 1389948
Lot 87 | FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE
Estimate value
€ 3 000 – 5 000
FRANCE, FIN DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE
France républicaine ou l'Égalité
buste petite nature en terre cuite
H. 26 cm (10 ¼ in.)




Provenance

Collection particulière, Paris.



Literature

Bibliographie comparative :
G. Gramaccini, «Jean-Guillaume Moitte et la Révolution Française» in Revue de l'art, n°83, 1989, pp. 61-70.
Louis-Simon Boizot, Sculpteur du roi et directeur de sculpture à la Manufacture de Sèvres, cat. exp., Paris-Versailles, 23 octobre 2001-24 février 2002.



Further details

A TERRACOTTA BUST OF AN ALLEGORICAL FIGURE, POSSIBLY THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, FRENCH, LATE 18TH CENTURY

The idealisation of features, the craftsmanship of the eyes, the drapery, and the diadem, along with the distinctive bust cut, mark a departure from the artistic practices of the ‘Ancien Régime.’ These elements are characteristic of the period in which our terracotta, representing Equality or an allegory of the Republic, was created. In the late 18th century, more than just a response to contemporary taste, these antiquated figures echoed an ideal of Greco-Roman civilisation and a political golden age.

The triangle placed beneath her breast is a symbol of Equality, a fundamental value of the Republic, already associated with "Liberty" and "Fraternity" by Robespierre in 1790. These virtues, accompanied by "Strength" and "Reason," are also celebrated in a suite of porcelain busts of republican allegories from the Niderviller manufacture (circa 1794-1795, Domaine de Vizille - Musée de la Révolution française, inv. MRF 1993-23-1 to 5). Louis-Simon Boizot (1743-1809) adopted this motif for a representation of republican France (BnF, RESERVE QB-370 (44)-FT 4). As a witness to the shifting artistic and political needs of the time, Boizot, then in charge of sculpture at the Manufacture de Sèvres, renewed his production and provided "republican and patriotic models for engraving" (Ex.Cat., Louis-Simon Boizot, Sculpteur du roi et directeur de sculpture à la Manufacture de Sèvres, Paris-Versailles, 23 October 2001-24 February 2002).

Indeed, the early years of the French Republic were pivotal for a generation of artists breaking away from monarchical commissions and called upon to contribute to the vocabulary of the nascent regime. Whether unfinished projects, destroyed by subsequent governments, or decorations for revolutionary celebrations, these productions were inherently ephemeral. The lack of a precise attribution can thus be explained by the period of creation and its fragmentary historiography. Nevertheless, plastic elements such as the frontality and the straight nose of our bust, in continuity with a taste for the antique and idealisation, bear resemblance to the works of certain artists, such as Jean Guillaume Moitte or Charles-Antoine Callamard.
Applied technique:Pottery
Medium:Ceramic, Terracotta
Place of origin:Western Europe, France, Europe
Auction house category:Sculptures, Statues & Figures, Statuettes
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
9 Avenue Matignon
75008 Paris
France
Preview
26.03.2025 – 26.03.2025
Phone +33 (0)1 40 76 85 85
Fax +33 (0)1 40 76 85 86
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@AGLSDAYQG1LYAK3YGRQ@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Tu 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
We 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Th 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Fr 09:00 – 00:00    00:00 – 18:00
Sa closed
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.