Inaugural Fine and Decorative Arts Sale
Lot 156:
Description
EDOUARD DROUOT
French, 1859-1945
"Decrotteur Arabe" [Arab Shoeshine Boy]
Patinated and polychromed bronze | signed to the reverse "E. Drouot" in script, sealed with editeur cachet for "Bronze Garanti au Titre, Paris" and foundry mark [weight with cold-stamped lettering]
A very fun cabinet bronze after the model by Edouard Drouot titled on the edge of the base "Décrotteur Arabe, Médaille, Beaux-Arts", it is an interesting study of a young Arab boy with a shoe polish kit hanging from his shoulder. He leans against an old tree stump with a broad grin on his face, presumably greeting pedestrians while trying to drum up some business. It is finished in a rich polychromed patina ranging from the warm hues of brown and golden hints of burnished bronze to the red-oxide chemical patination supplemented by stains and cold-painted red in his cap. The base bears the editeur cachet "Bronze Garanti au Titre, Paris" and a cold-stamped unknown foundry mark of a weight with lettering inside (perhaps "TP" or "SP").
These French Orientalist studies of the Arab and African nations found a large collecting audience in France and England. There was a fascination with what seemed like a timeless and unchanging traditionalism in these non-Western communities that piqued the nostalgia of collectors. The same sentiment that drove collectors to acquire landscape scenes of rural farms and buccolic views of domestic animals in fields gave a deep well for artists like Edouard Drouot to draw upon in preparing studies of the tribal communities of "The Orient". Much of the original material came from travel in Tunisia, which was easily accessible as a French colony and a favorite destination for painters and sculptors.
13 1/8" H x 4 3/8" W x 4 5/8" D
To view a walk-through of the auction including most items in the sale, visit us on Instagram @burdstauctions
Condition: Small casting flaw to the right of the foot; original polychromed patina with minor color variations, overall remaining in excellent condition. Cleaned, waxed and polished, in fine presentation-ready condition.
Request additional information or images by emailing info@burdst.com
BSA provides written condition reports, along with photographs or video, upon request and at no charge. These reports are prepared in good faith and represent reasonable efforts to describe the lot’s visible characteristics, including observable flaws. However, assessments of condition are inherently subjective and may reflect the personal thresholds or expectations of the viewer. Condition reports, whether written or verbal, are not forensic, comprehensive, or prepared to academic standards. The absence of a condition report does not imply that a lot is free from defects. Any mention of condition in the catalog or report is intended as a general guide only and may not account for all imperfections, restorations, or alterations. All lots are offered “as is, where is, ?? and BSA makes no warranties or guarantees regarding condition. Prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect lots in person or engage a qualified expert for condition-related concerns. BSA reserves the right to decline condition report or image requests at its discretion, particularly when the request is made too close to the auction or when the lot’s value does not reasonably justify the time required.
Dimensions: 13.13 x 4.38 x 4.63 in
Share this lot:
