Lot 3262* - A209 Impressionist & Modern Art - Friday, 21. June 2024, 05.00 PM
GERMAINE RICHIER
(Grans 1902–1959 Montpellier)
Sava Alexandra. 1944.
Bronze, brown patina.
Signed lower left at the back: G. Richier.
H 83 cm.
Provenance:
- Otto Charles Bänninger, Zurich.
- Swiss collection, acquired on 31.12.1958 from the above collection.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Germaine Richier emigrated to Zurich with her Swiss husband Otto Bänninger. This move, which caused a break in her budding career, had a profound influence on her subsequent work. From 1943 to 1945 she taught together with Marino Marini and Fritz Wotruba at the trade school in Winterthur and, as a teacher, influenced an entire generation of Swiss sculptors.
In her early works, strongly influenced by the techniques and teaching methods of her master Antoine Bourdelle, Richier devotes herself to sculpting the bust. During her stay in Zurich she remains true to this subject, but rejects all previous approaches. She turns to a fantastic realism, both in terms of content and form. In doing so, she increasingly perfects the use of metamorphosis as a central theme and artistic method.
The present bust of "Sava Alexandra" is therefore an outstanding example of this transformation in Richier's work. She begins to incorporate here the exceedingly long proportions, which she will exploit further in her late work. With its structured, spatulated surface, the sculpture has a timeless elegance.
"Sava Alexandra" symbolizes the passage from youth to maturity and at the same time suggests Richier's new aesthetic direction that connects the worlds of animals, humans and plants. Through her expressive posture, "Sava Alexandra" immediately enthralls the viewer and allows them a look into the depths of the human soul. Her presence and powerful charisma make her a fascinating example of Richier's unique artistic talent and her ability to convey universal themes through the language of art.
In her early works, strongly influenced by the techniques and teaching methods of her master Antoine Bourdelle, Richier devotes herself to sculpting the bust. During her stay in Zurich she remains true to this subject, but rejects all previous approaches. She turns to a fantastic realism, both in terms of content and form. In doing so, she increasingly perfects the use of metamorphosis as a central theme and artistic method.
The present bust of "Sava Alexandra" is therefore an outstanding example of this transformation in Richier's work. She begins to incorporate here the exceedingly long proportions, which she will exploit further in her late work. With its structured, spatulated surface, the sculpture has a timeless elegance.
"Sava Alexandra" symbolizes the passage from youth to maturity and at the same time suggests Richier's new aesthetic direction that connects the worlds of animals, humans and plants. Through her expressive posture, "Sava Alexandra" immediately enthralls the viewer and allows them a look into the depths of the human soul. Her presence and powerful charisma make her a fascinating example of Richier's unique artistic talent and her ability to convey universal themes through the language of art.
CHF 50 000 / 80 000 | (€ 51 550 / 82 470)
Sold for CHF 68 750 (including buyer’s premium)
All information is subject to change.