Manufacture de Sèvres, mid-20th century, after a model by Je - Lot 99

Manufacture de Sèvres, mid-20th century, after a model by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828) Portrait of Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847), son of the architect Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813), future director of the Manufacture de Sèvres from 1800. Model created in 1777 Issued between 1941 and 1947 Bisque bust Signed "HOUDON" on the left shoulder Bears the Manufacture de Sèvres manufacturing mark (from 1941), the mark of sculpture inspector Ivan Loewitz Blanchot (active from 1930-1947) and the monogram "RE" for Raymond Even, molder-repairer at the Manufacture since 1938, on the back on the right shoulder. H. 47 cm, on a midnight-blue and gilded pedestal Stains Related work : -Jean-Antoine Houdon, Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847) son of architect Alexandre Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813), future mineralogist and director of the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres (1800), 1777, terracotta bust, signed "Alexandre / Brongniart / par Houdon" on reverse, H. 36.4 x W. 26.4 x D. 24 cm, Paris, Musée du Louvre, inv. no. RF 1280. Related literature: - Hiorvardu Harvard Arnason, Jean-Antoine Houdon: le plus grand sculpteur français du XVIIIème siècle, Lausanne, Edita Denöel, 1976, model listed on fig. 93 and mentioned on p. 44. This charming bust of Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847), aged just seven, is one of the most emblematic models by the sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828). The original terracotta portrait of this young boy was shown at the Salon of 1777, alongside that of his sister Louise Brongniart. It is part of a body of work by Houdon on the theme of the child's face. The artist chose to depict the son of one of his famous architect friends, Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813). A promising young chemist, Alexandre Brongniart was appointed head of the Manufacture de Sèvres by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800, with the mission of putting an end to the instability of the previous period.