56 - AUGUSTIN EDME MOREAU-VAUTHIER (Paris, 1831–1893).

AUGUSTIN EDME MOREAU-VAUTHIER (Paris, 1831–1893). "Fortune or Abundance," 1878. Bronze with a marble base. Signed and stamped. Measurements: 167 x 30 x 25 cm. (with pedestal). Augustin Edme Moreau-Vauthier was a 19th-century French sculptor. Coming from a family with ties to sculpture and ivory craftsmanship, he became familiar with carving and modeling techniques at a very young age in his father’s workshop—an influence that would profoundly shape his artistic career. In 1850, he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under the sculptor Armand Toussaint, acquiring a solid academic foundation. His talent was recognized at the 1855 Paris World’s Fair, where he won a first-class medal for his ivory works. He later participated in the 1857 Paris Salon, cementing his place in the French art scene. Initially specializing in ivory sculpture, beginning in 1865 he expanded his practice to include bronze, creating decorative figures, allegorical compositions, and depictions of women. His style combines classical, Gothic, and Renaissance influences, distinguished by the delicacy of his modeling, the meticulousness of his details, and the elegance of his compositions. His work reflects the artistic taste of nineteenth-century France, characterized by a revival of historical styles and the development of the decorative arts. He died in Paris in 1893, leaving behind a body of work representative of nineteenth-century French sculpture, particularly prized for his works in ivory and bronze. Today, his works continue to attract interest among collectors and specialists in ancient sculpture.