The Lion Tamer, Rare Art Deco Bronze By Jean Verschneider

Very beautiful bronze from the art deco period representing a lion tamer and signed on the Verschneider terrace for Jean Verschneider (1872-1943).
an art deco period bronze quite rare on the market and masterfully made by Jean Verschneider, a famous sculptor at that time who was interested in many very varied fields: the circus and fairground arts, mythology and allegories, the realization of automobile mascots,
Jean Verschneider was a French sculptor. His work was part of the sculpture event of the 1924 Summer Olympics art competition.
and finally when you look closely you find here on this bronze some similarities with the work of Demeter Chiparus.´
our bronze represents a lion tamer in stage costume, probably performing a circus act, his particularly studied costume taking up the art deco standards of the time and drawing inspiration largely from classical antiquity.
We believe we see a gladiator or Persian warrior straight out of ancient Greece.
he is posted in a very virile attitude in contrapposto, his left arm stretched upwards and holding a whip, his right arm almost resting on the roaring lion at his side. of course no one is careful enough and we see the man's gaze resting on the lion he dominates. nevertheless the sculptor was able to restore not only the strength that emanates from the two beings in this circus act but also their necessary communion.
a subject which is not easy to render in sculpture without going overboard towards the vulgar or the grotesque.
here the two protagonists are superbly treated and form a beautiful duo the carving details are very fine: take a good look at the man's face and the details of his stage costume including the whip, but also the lion's mouth and the way which its fur is treated.
the patina is magnificent, a brown patina verging on green with slightly bronze effects which is completed by a very beautiful base in sea green marble whose shades of green and black color combine perfectly with the nuances of the patina of this bronze .
a very beautiful art deco bronze, a very interesting subject.

dimensions:
46 cm high by 18 cm long at the base by 16 cm wide.

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