Art Deco bronze statuette of a dancer, by Fernand Larapidie, France, circa 1930

Graceful little statue of a dancer in patinated bronze on a base, characteristic of the Art Deco period, signed on the base Fernand Larapidie, made by the Fonderie Blanchet in Bagnolet (stamp on the base).

The finesse of the sculpture expresses well the grace and lightness of the dancer’s movement.
Height: 25 cm (9.84 inches)
Width: 23 cm (9.06 inches)
Depth: 10.5 cm (4.13 inches)
Base width: 7 cm (2.76 inches)

Biography : Fernand Larapidie

Son of Louis Larapidie, Fernand was born on April 26, 1885 in Narbonne (Aude). Like his father, Fernand Larapidie was a sculptor.

Larapidie settled in Paris, at 103, rue de Vaugirard, in the 6th arrondissement.

An anarchist, Fernand Larapidie was a member of the Social Defense Committee (CDS). In March 1918, he was its first treasurer when the Social Defense Committee was re-established, while Jean-Louis Thuillier was its secretary. Between 1919 and 1922, he was treasurer of the Black Sea Sailors Defense Committee. It seems that at the same time, he belonged to the Anarchist Federation.

In May 1922, he was arrested on charges of inciting soldiers to desertion and disobedience, but was quickly released. He then worked in an automobile factory and was himself discharged due to a limp. But he regularly exhibited his sculptures.

Fernand Larapidie was the manager of the 3rd series of the Bulletin du Comité de défense sociale (Paris, 5 issues from November 1927 to December 1929) and contributed to the daily series of Le Libertaire (Paris, 1923-1925) and to the monthly magazine Le Neo Naturien (Paris, 1921-1927, at least 29 issues) whose founder was H. Le Fevre.

He left Paris to later settle in Castelnau-le-Lez (Hérault) where he continued to paint and sculpt.