Théodore Riviere (1857-1912) - "the Disenchanted"

Very fine bronze proof with a strongly nuanced brown patina Sand casting of very fine quality without trace of founder - unsigned. This is a first bronze proof called "Chef-Modèle" (or Model in the 19th century) which served as a basic matrix in the foundry for the assembly of the parts forming the structure of future models. Oak foundry base Circa 1890/1900 Height: 23.5 cm Width: 16 cm Depth: 12 cm Base: height: 2 cm Related work: “La désenchanté” proof in marble, silver, ivory and onyx – height 46.5 cm, reproduced in the book “Les Orientalistes” by Stéphane Richemont published by l'Amateur, page 182. Galerie Paris-Manaus Biography: Auguste Louis Théodore Rivière was born on September 14, 1857 in Toulouse. At the age of 13, he entered the Toulouse School of Fine Arts where his teacher was Henri Maurette. In 1875, he won first prize in “composition from a live model.” In 1876, he entered the Paris School of Fine Arts – student of François Joffroy and then Alexandre Falguière. He remained there until 1886. In 1875, he presented a bust at the Salon of the Society of French Artists, in 1879 he exhibited at the Salon but the jury did not reward him because of his young age. In 1880 he presented his first orientalist work at the Salon: "The Nubian" Between 1884 and 1889, he experienced a difficult first period: sculpture refused for political reasons, three failures at the Grand Prix de Rome, refused state commissions and financial difficulties. In 1887 he left for Algeria, then returned to France to participate in the work of the Universal Exhibition. Disappointed again, he joined the Foreign Legion, was discharged and remained in Algeria where he modeled small orientalist figurines for a bazaar in Algiers, which allowed him to pay for his return to Paris. The decoration of the Palais des Fées at the Trocadéro for the Universal Exhibition of 1889 was entrusted to him. On the advice of a friend living in Tunis, he obtained a travel grant and went to Tunisia where he taught drawing at the Carthage seminary with the White Fathers. Théodore Rivière "Salombo" and drew his inspiration from this novel by Gustave Flaubert. He returned to France in 1894 and left again for a few months in Djibouti on an "art mission". From 1895 to 1900 he participated in each annual exhibition of the Society of French Orientalist Painters which was held at the Durand-Ruel gallery and of which he had been a member since 1894. He had his bronze sculptures published by Siot Decauville, Susse and Maison Colin et Cie. Suffering from the "travel bug", he signed a contract with the senior resident of Tonkin for a monument intended for the Hanoi exhibition. This mission allowed him to make a detour via Java and Sumatra. In 1910 he left for Morocco, in 1912 for Argentina. For health reasons he returned to Paris and died in November 1912 following a throat operation.