Patinated Terracotta Bust Probably Representing Beaumarchais

Patinated terracotta bust representing a man probably Beaumarchais. It represents the head turned to the right, wearing a wig, a scarf tied on a shirt. The bust rests on a marble pedestal base. After a model by Jean-Jacques Caffieri Period of the second half of the 18th century Usual restorations H. 59 x W. 44 x D. 22 cm The bust in our study shows a man in the three-quarter position. This gives the man a spontaneous attitude which is reinforced by his “negligee” clothing: a shirt nonchalantly closed with a knot. The sculptor captures a moment of life that we see in the sparkling gaze of the subject. Caffieri was born in 1725 in Paris. His father, Jacques Caffieri, is himself a renowned sculptor-founder. He trained with Jean-Baptiste II Lemoyne. His important work presents many representations of French writers: Corneille, Marivaux, Jean de La Fontaine, Molière. It is therefore quite consistent for us to bring the bust we are presenting closer to the playwright Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais (1732-1799) was a man of letters with a productive life. Playwright, secret agent, disinherited heir, going from legal scandals to literary successes. It is still studied today in all French establishments with its major work of Figaro, which served as the framework for Mozart's famous opera. Jean-Marc Nattier gave us a portrait of him (dated 1755, kept in a private collection), which is reminiscent, by its expression, of the bust of our study which is held in the same posture . The Art Institute of Chicago has a plaster replica of the bust in our study (ref. 1943.1226). Another probable representation of Beaumarchais went to Christie's on July 6, 1999 (lot 61).