Important Bronze "Summer" signed Carrier-Belleuse – 2nd half of the 19th century

In this magnificent bronze entitled "Été" ("Summer"), Albert‑Ernest Carrier‑Belleuse displays the full sensuality and generosity of his sculptural language. The female figure, embodying the season of abundance, stands with sovereign grace, her body animated by a fluid movement that sets the drapery undulating around her. Light glides across the polished volumes, revealing the fineness of the modelling, the softness of the curves and the precision of the details that bear witness to the master's virtuosity.
In her arm, sheaves of wheat — a radiant symbol of fertility and summer warmth — provide a textured counterpoint to the flowing folds of her garment. She also carries a few sprigs above her head. At her side, a child reaches upward in a tender gesture, reinforcing the allegorical dimension of the scene and underscoring the harmony between nature, motherhood and the cycle of the seasons. He holds a sickle in his hand. The composition rests on a pedestal base, enhanced by a gilt plaque bearing the title of the work and the name of the artist. The sculptor's signature is present on this base.
This deep-patinated bronze distinguishes itself through its perfect balance of narrative power, decorative refinement and sculptural presence, offering a luminous and timeless vision of summer by one of the greatest sculptors of the 19th century.

Albert‑Ernest Carrier‑Belleuse (1824‑1887) was one of the most brilliant French sculptors of the 19th century, a master of the neo-Baroque style and a virtuoso modeller. Trained at the École des Beaux‑Arts and having worked in the ateliers of the Manufacture de Sèvres, he swiftly established himself as a sought-after artist celebrated for his elegant, sensual and decorative figures. His prolific output spans monumental sculpture as well as refined bronzes intended for bourgeois interiors. He was also the first master of Auguste Rodin, who acknowledged his immense talent as a modeller. Carrier‑Belleuse remains to this day an essential reference in French sculpture of the Second Empire.

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Period: second half of the 19th century

Very fine condition
Delivery by quotation within France and internationally

Dimensions:
Height: 74 cm
Width: 22 cm
Depth: 20 cm
Weight of bronze: 22.5 kg

Reference 681V