French Antique Bronze Sculpture of “Sapho” by Jean-Baptiste Clesinger ca. 1875

JEAN-BAPTISTE CLESINGER
French, 1814-1883

"Sapho"

Sand-cast bronze in medium-brown patination
Raised on original rouge marble
Signed "J. CLESINGER", titled "SAPHO" and signed "Maison Marnyhac 1 Rue de la Paix"

16" H (with base); 14 1/4" H (bronze) x 8" diameter

This bronze figure represents Sapho as a standing, draped female form, modeled with a pronounced sense of gravity and inward reflection. The figure is shown in contrapposto, her head inclined and gaze lowered with her weight carried through one leg and the loose garment gathered and drawn close to her body. The treatment of the surface is varied, with smoothly modeled flesh contrasting against deeply worked folds of drapery that descend into the irregular, rocky textures in the support at the rear; . The bronze is mounted on its original red marble base. The title SAPHO is inscribed along the integral bronze plinth, and the circumference bears the signature “J. CLESINGER” together with the retailer’s mark “Maison Marnyhac, 1 Rue de la Paix.”

Sapho, the archaic Greek poet from the island of Lesbos, was celebrated in antiquity for her lyric verse and later became an enduring symbol of poetic genius, emotional intensity and tragic sensibility. In 19th century France, her figure was frequently interpreted through a Romantic lens, one emphasizing introspection and melancholy.

Maison Marnyhac operated as a retailer and publisher (or editeur) of sculpture and decorative objects, supplying works by established academic sculptors to a cultivated Parisian clientele. Located on the Rue de la Paix, a center of luxury trade, the firm functioned not as a foundry but as an intermediary, commissioning casts from recognized models and offering them through its gallery.

Condition: Rubbing and wear to the original patina throughout, with the face largely relieved of its original patination and now naturally oxidized. Rubbing to raised points consistent with age. Very minor chips to the original red marble base. Replaced screw affixing the sculpture to the base. Carefully cleaned and sealed in conservator’s wax. Ready to place.

ref. 512CPP14Q