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406 - French school, circa 1900, possibly Jean-Baptiste HUGUES (?)…
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Estimate €200 - €300
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Description
French school, circa 1900, possibly Jean-Baptiste HUGUES (?). Pair of city allegories. Sculptural sketch modelled in blackened wax. H. 25 x W. 19 x D. 22 cm. On a semi-circular stained wooden plinth (plinth height: 4.5 cm), with a round stamp on the back of the sculpture. Restored. This is probably a design for a city allegory intended for a railway station. The statue of the city of Limoges holds a vase in her left hand, whilst another vase lies at her feet. The decoration on the façade of Tours railway station was created in 1898 by the sculptor Henri [Frédéric] Varenne, with the exception of the monumental statues—allegories of the cities served by the P&O Company—which he nevertheless created based on models by the two selected sculptors, Jean Hugues (Limoges and Nantes) and Jean-Antoine Injalbert (Bordeaux). The figure of the City of Bordeaux rests her left elbow on a rudder (which bears the signature) and holds an anchor in her right hand. Both her feet extend beyond the edge of her plinth. The City of Toulouse has her right hand tucked into a fold that appears to be formed by her garment and holds a rudder in her left hand, with her left foot slightly forward), with whom he would also work a few years later on the Town Hall project, for which he would also sculpt the overall décor. Provenance: a private collection in Tours focusing on the Beaux-Arts competitions and the Prix de Rome in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as on academic works.
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About the sale SALE OF FURNITURE - SHOWCASE & COLLECTORS' ITEMS
Auction location
Auction time 08/26/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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