Style Napoleon III / Ref.15407

GEORGES DE CHEMELLIER: The clown Get up and his dog, sculpture

Bronze sculpture by Georges de Chemellier.

Signed on the base, titled: The clown Get up and his dog.

This is a very well known work of the artist. Its plaster version is preserved in the Beaux-Arts museum of Angers.

The scene here sculpted by Georges de Chemellier represents an acrobat coaxing his poodle to jump through a hoop.
It is a pretext for the artist to express his mastery of body movements, of the folds of the skin, of different textures and fabrics and of the swirling hair of the acrobat. The poodles tight curls and clipped hair also show the artist’s capacity to render life and detail in a very realistic fashion. The patina chosen reinforces the strength of the details.
Through a very refined work on the eyes and facial expression, G. de Chemellier manages to express a sweetness and bond between the two protagonists.
The composition rests on a rectangular base.

The Circus was a great inspiration for 19th century artists, Toulouse Lautrec, Seurat, Chéret... They enjoyed representing acrobats in action, on horses, flying through the air, as well as exotic animals. The 19th century was the golden age of the circus and established its codes.

The plaster version in the museum in Angers is the preparatory one dated 1882 and presented to the Salon of arts in Angers in 1890 - number 573 (see JOCONDE base). Other works of the artist are on display there.

The Chemellier, a family of artists
The Chemellier family settled in a town house in Angers in 1835. It was a family of artists, the father, the Viscount, was a painter, the son, a sculptor and they gathered around them all the artistic talent of the region. The house was always full of music and theater and their parties were famous.