"Young Satyr with Drinking Deer" | Ary Bitter

ARY JEAN LÉON BITTER
French, 1883-1973

"Enfant satyr aux biches s'abreuvant" (Young Satyr with Drinking Deer)

Lost-wax patinated bronze raised on original Rosso Levanto marble base | signed in cast "Ary Bitter", "cire purdue", cold-stamped BRONZE, foundry cachet for Susse and signed in cast "Susse Fr. Edt. Paris" | cast circa 1930

Item # 408GZJ02A  A very scarce example to find, particularly with its substantial original stepped Rosso Levanto marble base, this work by the French Modernist sculptor Ary Jean Léon Bitter features a young satyr holding a naturalistic vessel in his outstretched arms, the dish filled with water that two young fauns have come up to drink from.

Typical of the "new art" of the modernists, the surface is loosely touched with an impressionistic fervor. Cast "cire purdue", the underlying wax from which the model was cast can almost be felt in the surface, the signatures and markings fresh and raised like the stylus has only just swept them away, while the hints of fur and details of the figures are almost entirely devoid of cold-tooling.

This example was cast during Bitter's lifetime during the rich period between the two World Wars when this new generation of sculptors broke with the traditional and academic modeling to explore new interactions with stone and metal. The model rests over several original integrally cast pins that drop into holes in the marble to allow it to rest firmly in place with the satyr's feet dangling very naturally just slightly over the edge. The few examples of this cast that make their way onto the open market are often devoid of the original base, either resting simply as bronze (which is not rigid enough to make a suitable standalone base) or on a replaced fabrication. An example was available with Christie's, London on July 16th of 2010 (lot 242) in a stepped green marble base where it achieved 8125 GBP (1.54 conversion rate at the time of sale translating to approximately $ 12,500 USD). Ary Jean Léon Bitter
Born in Marseilles, France on May 29th of 1883, Ary Jean Léon Bitter began his studies under the guidance of Emile Aldebert at the Marseille Beaux Arts in 1895. He left Marseilles for Paris where he joined the studio of sculptor Ernest Louis-Ernest Barrias in November of 1902 and in 1903 was admitted into École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts on a temporary basis, which became a full invitation in 1906. During this time, he was invited to join the atelier of Jules Coutan, where he continued to work from 1904 through 1913.

He exhibited for the first time in 1910 at the Salon National des Artistes Français where he received honourable mention for his exhibit of l'Enfant au chevreau in 1910. He continued to exhibit at the Salon regularly between 1912 and 1939, receiving a bronze medal in 1913, a silver medal in 1921 and a gold medal in 1924. He was distinguished with the classification of "hors-concours", allowing him to enter exhibition without jury approval and was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1932. He also achieved a final gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1937.

Many of his smaller works were cast by Susse Freres, the renowned Parisian foundry with whom he collaborated to produce much of his work. Their gallery exhibited his sculpture extensively between the World Wars in their Boulevard de la Madeleine gallery in Paris. Bitter specialized in the sculpture of animals, but he had great breadth to his work and produced a varied body of sculpture in the Art Nouveau taste with groups of figures combined with animals. Artist Listings & Bibliography: E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. II, Gründ, 2006, p. 543-544 Art Deco and other Figures, Bryan Catley, 1978, featuring a series of his works on pages 45 through 47 Animals in Bronze, Christopher Payne, 2002, two of his sculptures depicted p. 194-195, short biography p. 396 Susse Frères, 150 Years of Sculpture 1837-1987, Cadet, 1992, p. 74 Dictionnaire illustré des sculpteurs animaliers & fondeurs de l'antiquite à nos jours, Vol. I, Hachet, p. 201-202
Measurements: 9" H (without base); 13" H (including base); 38 1/8" W x 5 1/8" D (including base) Condition Report:
Very fine condition. Trace verdigris in recesses and throughout as part of the patina. Chipping to edges and corner of marble, overall remaining in very good condition. Small spot of discoloration on the top of one faun's spine. Carefully cleaned and sealed in our gallery studio in conservator's wax. An exquisite presentation.