Two Orientalist style patinated bronze maquettes by Marcel Début

Two Orientalist style patinated bronze maquettes by Marcel Début
French, Late 19th Century
Watercarrier: Height 33cm, width 11cm, depth 15cm
Warrior: Height 32cm, width 14cm, depth 13cm
 
Created by the French artist, Marcel Début, in the late 19th Century, these are beautiful pieces of naturalistic, figurative sculpture. Marcel Début was born in 1865, and grew up learning the art of carving from his father, Jean Didier Début, who created traditional, realistic sculptures of people. Later in life, Marcel trained under Henri Michel Antoine Chapu, an acclaimed sculptor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France.
 
These are Orientalist sculptures, in that they are studies of Eastern figures — specifically two Tunisian men — made by a European artist. Début was able to visit Tunisia to study its culture and people because the country was a French protectorate in the late 19th Century. 
 
The work on the left of the main photo depicts a Tunisian man who carries two water urns, which appear to be full. He is dressed in simple clothing, consisting of full, loose-fitting shorts, a striped belt and top with a low neck-line, and a fez on his head. The water-carrier’s body and clothing are finished in a lighter bronze patina, while the urns he holds — being the focus of his labour — are highlighted by their darker colour. Début created several sculptural works that explored the subject of peasant life in Tunisia.
 
On the right, there is a figure of a Tunisian warrior. Unlike the watercarrier, he appears relaxed and inactive. His legs are crossed, and he holds the barrel of a musket in his right hand, while his left rests on his hip. He is dressed in similar clothes to the watercarrier, with the addition of a pistol, sword and other weapons tucked into his belt. The warrior has a moustache and beard, and he wears a turban and fez on his head. His clothing and weapons are finished in a darker colour than his skin.
 
Both pieces feature plaques inscribed 'PRIX DE ROME' to the front and are signed ‘Debut’ on the base and stamped with the manufacturer’s mark.
 
Artist/Maker: Marcel Début