Alfred Boucher
(Nogent-sur-Seine 1850-1934 Aix-les-Bains)

Faune et Bacchante

Exhibited at the salon in 1899
White marble
Carved by the artist ca. 1898-1899
Signed A. Boucher
Height 42cm

This work represents a faun holding a bacchante in his grip. His strong muscular body contrasting with the soft voluptuous flesh of the bacchante. Her pose is very ambivalent. With her left hand she pushes the away the faun and looks away from him like she does not want anything to do with him. But the expression on her face indicates the opposite, she is excited and enjoys the game.

Boucher created the sculpture “Faune et Bacchante” circa 1898-1899. In 1899 he exhibited the larger plaster version at the Salon. This work is conserved in the Musée P.Dubois - Alfred Boucher in Nogent-sur-Seine. Only one marble version of the large format is known.

A picture of the atelier of Boucher taken circa 1900 shows a small marble version of “Faune et Bacchante”. As there are no other ones known that could well be the current piece.

 

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