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Set of ten natural stone sculptures “Gogottes de Fontainebleau”

Offered by: Galerie Canavèse

Description
A set of natural stone sculptures “Gogottes de Fontainebleau”.
Provenance: French private collection.

The Gogottes are a millions-of-years old naturally shaped mineral rarity consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate. As an underground water stream slowly filters through sand, these tears of stone are frozen upside down in eternal flight. The most prized examples of gogottes are found in Fontainebleau, France, the site of the Imperial Palace of Napoleon I, where they have been protected in a sandy basin for over 30 million years. Louis XIV of France, known as the Sun King, commissioned similar gogottes to be excavated for his gardens. The ornately rounded, scrolling formations—somewhat Baroque in design—have been restored to their original state surrounding the mysterious Grove of the Three Fountains designed by Le Nôtre in 1677. Known to have inspired artists from the Surrealist Art movement, including Jean Arp, these wonderful forms can compare to the most beautiful modern sculpture. A particularly well-preserved example of a sandstone concretion is on display at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.

The first measure:
Height: 7 feet, 1.43 inches
Width: 3 feet, 9.66 inches
Depth: 2 feet, 1.19 inches
The concrete base measures 2 feet, 1.59 inches in diameter by 7.87 inches in height.

The second measure:
Height: 6 feet, 6.74 inches
Width: 3 feet, 0.61 inches
Depth: 2 feet, 1.59 inches
The concrete base measures 3 feet, 5.33 inches x 3 feet, 5.33 inches by 1 foot, 6.11 inches in height, but it’s to be buried, as is, or re-cut.

The measurements are taken without the concrete part going into the ground.
For the eight smaller ones, Please find attached a sketch with the dimensions of each one.

More Information

Origin:	France
Period:	Pre 18th Century
Materials:	Stone
Condition:	Good.
Creation Date:	Millions-of-years old
Styles / Movements:	Other
Incollect Reference #:	342417

Dimensions

W.	45.67 in;	H.	85.43 in;	D.	25.2 in;
W.	116 cm;	H.	217 cm;	D.	64 cm;

Message from Seller:

Catherine Canavese is an expert from the "Compagnie Nationale des Experts." She is an astute antique dealer and offers to connoisseurs, dealers and private customers a curated selection of objects, furniture, sculptures, lamps and decorative elements of the XIXth up to the XXIth century, all original and of the best quality. The gallery has been in operation since 2001.