ref. 1244/0

E. Hébert

Sculptor
(1828-1893)

G. Servant

Bronze-caster
(1828-c.1890)

Neo-Egyptian clock

The bronze bust signed Emile Hébert, the dial signed Servant
and the movement signed G & S Médaille d’Or, 1867

France

Height : 61 cm (24 in.) ; Width : 41 cm (16 in.); Depth : 18 cm (7 in.)

Close to the models exhibited at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition

Black Onyx and red marble clock surmounted by a gilded and patinated bronze bust of Queen Cleopatra; the dial with pseudo-glyphic numbers and hieroglyphs for the Egyptian months of the civil year.

Biography

Emile Hébert (1828-1893), studied sculpture with his father and the renowned artist Feuchère. He participated in all major exhibits, such the Salon of the French Artists from 1846 to 1893 with busts and mythological subjects, or the Paris Universal Exhibitions. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition, Hébert was awarded a gold medal for having collaborated on the clock described above (Exposition Universelle 1867, Groupe III, Classe 25, catégorie des bronzes d’art) with Georges Servant (1828-c.1890), whom had a foundry, rue Vieille-du-Temple, in Paris, specialized in neo-Greek and neo-Egyptian style clocks. Hébert participated with equal success at the 1878 Universal Exhibition, where he won once again a gold medal for some other Egyptian style objects. The report of the jury (Exposition Universelle de 1878, Rapport sur les bronzes d’art, Groupe III, Classe 25, p.26) noticed, that « the chasing by Hébert is under perfect control and always appreciated by artists ». His antique style figures, Greek, Roman or Egyptian, are some of his most popular works following the tradition of ethnographic decorative sculpture in late 19th century France. Hébert became also renowned for having sculpted two allegories, La Comédie and Le Drame, for the façade of the Paris « Vaudeville » Theater.

Museology

Many of his bronze pieces are preserved in the United-States (Kansas University, Bowes Museum, the New York Shepherd Gallery) as well as in Great-Britain.

Bibliography

Egyptomania, Exposition Musée du Louvre, RMN, 1994, p° 464.

L’univers des bronzes, Yves Devaux, Ed. Pygmalion, Paris, 1978.

Les bronzes du XIXe siècle, P. Kjellberg, Les Ed. de l’amateur, 1989, p° 376.

Exposition Universelle de 1878, Rapport sur les bronzes d’art, Groupe III, Classe 25, p° 26.

Contact us




    Tobogan Newsletter

    If you want to be up-to-date with our new acquirings you can sign up to our newsletter.

    Récemment consulté