A silvered and patinated bronze study of a penguin on a block of marble. This exquisite Art Deco bronze is one of the finest examples of an artist capturing these majestic birds. This much loved bird has been wonderfully immortalised by highly regarded French sculptor Marcel_André Bouraine. The breed of penguin depicted is a Humboldt penguin. This penguin nests on islands and rocky coasts and feeds in surrounding waters. Its habitat is highly influenced by the cold, nutrient-rich Humboldt Current flowing northward from Antarctica, which is vital to the productivity of plankton and krill and fosters fish abundance. The species has been decimated over the years, thanks in part to El Niño both in the '80s and '90's. The population currently stand at only around three thousand. This one hundred percent original example is of the highest quality casting by Bouraine himself. There have been later examples of this model that have come up for auction over the years, and they do not have the original hand carved ivory beak, and the detail is lost in the castings. This can been seen in the lines of the wings and detail in the feet. It features a hand engraved signature on the original marble base, inscribed by the sculptor himself. The base itself is a master work of marble carving to create this very real looking ice block. The penguin seems to be purveying the ocean in front of him for potential food. The finish on the bird is completely original with black patinated wings and head and a silvered body. There has been no attempt to clean the, nearly one hundred years, patina, and it adds to the allure of this stunning sculpture. Cleaning it will also strip the original finishes to the bronze, and thus greatly reduce the value of them. Born in 1886 in Pontoise, France, Marcel André Bouraine was pupil of Joseph-Alexandre Falguière. He was taken prisoner by the Germans during the 1914-1918 war and was interned in Switzerland, where he produced several monuments. He exhibited at the Salon des Tuileries in 1922 and the Salon d'Automne in 1923. He executed small-scale sculptures for several firms including Susse Frères, Etling, Arthur Goldscheider, and Max Le Verrier, who, along with Pierre Le Faguays, had a long relationship. often exhibiting with the latter's La Stele and L'Evolution groups. In 1928 Gabriell Argy-rousseau (1885-1953) commissioned a number of figurines from Bouraine, mostly female nudes, but also a fountain and an illuminated group, all of which were executed in colored, translucent pate de verre. He executed two major commissions for the 1937 Paris International Exhibition. Bouraine used a pseudonym which was Derenne, he may also have used Briand (Brian), as there is a definite connection between the two as can be seen in the hoop dancer by both artists, which appears to be identical. Bouraine died in 1948. Bouraine's work is rare in itself, but the penguin is one of the lesser seen pieces he sculpted. This example has also come from a private collection and is the first time that it has been on the market for sale in over thirty years. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a true sculptural masterpiece from one of the most important sculptors of the twentieth century. The condition is excellent throughout with no damage. Made in France, circa 1925.
