Sculpture - Lohengrin , Paul Philippe (1870-1930) - Bronze And Marble

Rare and exceptional bronze and white Carrara marble print of the famous swan knight , “Lohengrin”, by Paul Philippe .
Knight of the Grail and son of Perceval , Lohengrin appears standing in his traditional costume .
He wears his knight's shimmering armor with a swan on the breastplate , his cape and his gooseneck helmet . 
In one hand he holds his sword , in the other his shield , in which we find the swan emblem , symbol of purity .
The sculpture rests on a black marble terrace depicting a boat . According to legend , the mysterious knight appears in a boat pulled by a swan to save the young princess , Elsa . 
Sculptor's signature “P.PHILIPPE” on the terrace . 
Early 20th century , Art-Déco , circa 1920 . 
Very good condition .

Dimensions : 73 cm x 31 cm

This model exists in two sizes , 45 cm and 73 cm high .
Our sculpture is the larger size , rarer in the edition . 

The Lohengrin legend

As the son of Perceval , Lohengrin was predestined for the life of a Grail knight . 
Through the “Miracle of the Grail”, the Grail chose him to protect Elsa, a king's daughter in distress.
Elsa's father , King of Brabant , had died without leaving a male heir .
On his deathbed , everyone swore loyalty to his daughter Elsa .
But after the king's death , the Count of Telramund did not recognize Elsa's sovereignty , claiming he had promised the king to marry his daughter and become king himself .
 
Suddenly , Lohengrin appears in his gleaming knight's armor , on a boat pulled by a swan .
 In a duel , he fights Telramund to save Elsa's rights and triumphs over his opponent . 
After this , the Swan Knight of the Holy Grail married the king's daughter .
Before marrying Elsa , he reminded her of the promise imposed by the Order of Knights to which he belonged : “You must never ask me where I come from , Elsa , never! If you break that promise, I'll be lost forever ." 

After raising two children , Elsa's curiosity was too great to resist and she asked the fatal question .
Then , the swan Lohengrin had come with reappears and takes Lohengrin to the Grail Castle , so that he can fulfill his promise to help noble people in distress .

PAUL PHILIPPE (1870-1930)

Paul Philippe was a famous French sculptor , born in Berlin in 1870 . 

He began his apprenticeship at the Royal Academy of Arts in Berlin .
In 1900 , he moved to Paris.
He entered the School of fine arts in Paris , where he studied sculpture with Antonin Larroux (1859-1913) .
He exhibited at the Salon of the Society of French Artists from 1902 to 1909 .
In 1907 , he presented his famous sculpture “Le Réveil” , distinguished by the elegance and delicacy of its forms .

 A sculptor appreciated for the quality of his work , he presented his sculptures in different combinations of materials : bronze , marble and ivory .
Paul Philippe creates numerous representations of figures , remarkable for the finesse of their modeling and the quality of their finish . 
He takes great care in creating sumptuous , sought-after patinas . 
His sculptures come to life with the shimmering nuances of browns , and the luminous reflections of gold and silver patinas . 

His work consists mainly of sculptures in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles .