24 - ÉDOUARD DROUOT (Sommevoire, France, 1859 – Paris, 1945).

ÉDOUARD DROUOT (Sommevoire, France, 1859 – Paris, 1945). “Indian on Horseback,” first third of the 20th century. Patinated and polychrome bronze. Signed on the base. Features a commemorative plaque dedicated to Urbain Hurard by the Board of Directors of the Banque Liégeoise et Crédit Général Liégeois Réunis, dated 1929. Bibliography: Pierre Kjellberg, *Les bronzes du XIXe siècle. Dictionnaire des sculpteurs*, Éditions de l’Amateur, Paris, 1989, p. 294 (model reproduced). In good condition. Measurements: 52 x 63 x 17 cm. This sculptural group is a notable example of Édouard Drouot’s equestrian work; Drouot was a French sculptor renowned for the dynamism and expressiveness of his compositions. The work depicts a Native American rider mounted on a horse in motion, captured in a pose of intense concentration. The animal’s lean, the rider’s gesture, and the diagonal composition create a marked narrative tension. The naturalistic treatment of the horse’s anatomy is a hallmark of the work, contrasting with the detailed rendering of the figure’s attributes, particularly his feather headdress and clothing. The sculpture also stands out for the quality of its modeling and the combination of different patinas, which distinguish the horse’s dark surfaces from the rider’s warm tones and the golden details of the reins. The composition reflects the interest in historical and exotic subjects that characterized much of European sculpture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The model was cast in bronze by the Parisian foundry Etling, which specialized in producing high-quality decorative sculptures. The piece is also of particular historical interest due to the commemorative plaque on its base, dedicated to Urbain Hurard by the Board of Directors of the Banque Liégeoise. The inscription lists the dates 1904 and 1929, corresponding to a twenty-five-year period of his professional career, and allows us to link this piece to a corporate tribute held in Belgium. Édouard Drouot trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the guidance of Émile Thomas and Mathurin Moreau. He regularly participated in the Salon des Artistes Français, where he won a third-class medal in 1892, and was honored at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair. His body of work includes allegorical, mythological, animal, and historical sculptures, characterized by a particular focus on movement. His work is represented in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Reims and the Musée d’Art Roger-Quilliot in Clermont-Ferrand.