Superb Antique (Early 20thc) French Bronze, 'Le Secret De Pandora' (Pandora's Box), Maurice Bouval

1900 - 1920

Sold by Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art

Description

French antique (early 20thC) bronze sculpture, 'Le Secret de Pandora' (Pandora's box) by Maurice Bouval (1863-1916), featuring a semi-clad Pandora holding a box. Signed on the tiered stone base ‘M Bouval’. 38cm high x 8cm (12.5cm including base), 2.95kg.

Excellent condition and patina.

Pandora's box is a mythical artifact from Greek mythology, famously featured in Hesiod's 700BC poem ‘Works and Days’. It's associated with the story of Pandora, the first mortal woman, who was given a box as a wedding gift with the strict instruction not to open it. Driven by irresistible curiosity, Pandora opened the box, unleashing all manner of evils upon humanity. The box also contained hope, which remained trapped inside after Pandora closed the lid.

Maurice Bouval (French, 1863 ~ 1920) was born in Toulouse, France and was a student of the grand-master Alexandre Falguière. Bouval was a prolific sculptor of functional bronzes such as table lamps, sconces, inkwells, candlesticks, salt cellars, covered boxes, and some non-functional decorative pieces. From 1880 until the beginning of the First World War he was very successful in his sculpting, often gilding smaller bronze objects and usually incorporating the female form. He participated in the 1890 Exposition Universelle in Paris and exhibited with the Societé des Artistes Français regularly, first as a sculptor, then in the decorative arts section. He also showed with La Maison Goldscheider.

Physical Dimensions

Height

38cm (14.96")

Width

12.5cm (4.92")

Declaration

Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1900s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1157532

Dealers Internal Reference

AD681

Description

fig 1. Superb Antique (early 20thC) French Bronze, 'Le Secret de Pandora' (Pandora's box), Maurice Bouval — fig 1. Superb Antique (Early 20thc) French Bronze, 'Le Secret De Pandora' (Pandora's Box), Maurice Bouval

Excellent condition and patina.

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Pandora's box is a mythical artifact from Greek mythology, famously featured in Hesiod's 700BC poem ‘Works and Days’.

Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art

It's associated with the story of Pandora, the first mortal woman, who was given a box as a wedding gift with the strict instruction not to open it. Driven by irresistible curiosity, Pandora opened the box, unleashing all manner of evils upon humanity. The box also contained hope, which remained trapped inside after Pandora closed the lid.

fig 2. Superb Antique (early 20thC) French Bronze, 'Le Secret de Pandora' (Pandora's box), Maurice Bouval — fig 2. Superb Antique (Early 20thc) French Bronze, 'Le Secret De Pandora' (Pandora's Box), Maurice Bouval

Maurice Bouval (French, 1863 ~ 1920) was born in Toulouse, France and was a student of the grand-master Alexandre Falguière. Bouval was a prolific sculptor of functional bronzes such as table lamps, sconces, inkwells, candlesticks, salt cellars, covered boxes, and some non-functional decorative pieces. From 1880 until the beginning of the First World War he was very successful in his sculpting, often gilding smaller bronze objects and usually incorporating the female form. He participated in the 1890 Exposition Universelle in Paris and exhibited with the Societé des Artistes Français regularly, first as a sculptor, then in the decorative arts section. He also showed with La Maison Goldscheider.