Alfred BOUCHER (1850-1934) 'At the Goal' Patinated bronze, Siot foundry Paris circa 1900
Alfred BOUCHER (1850-1934)
'Au But'*
Patinated bronze proof mounted on a griotte marble base with bulges.
Old edition casting signed "A. BOUCHER" on the base.
Bears the foundry mark "SIOT-PARIS"
France, circa 1900.
Good condition.
Dimensions : Height 32 cm x Width 41.5 cm.
*Alfred Boucher conceived "Au But", his most famous work, in 1886. Three almost naked men, bodies tense, hands forward, faces contorted by effort, are depicted in a frantic race. At the point of imbalance, the three bodies seem to unfold a single movement.
Boucher fully engages in the reflections of artists of his time on the representation of movement: now doctors teach anatomy at the École des Beaux-Arts, benefiting students from the latest scientific discoveries. It is also chronophotography that revolutionizes the approach of artists. This revolutionary burst shooting system allows capturing the different phases of a movement like running and decomposing them.
Alfred Boucher is among the many artists who draw inspiration from it. However, he does not claim to create scientific work: he seeks to convey the impression of speed and brilliance through an extended position, which in reality is not sustainable. With modernity, Boucher chooses exaggerated poses here and superimposes the bodies: in this way, he suggests the race with great force, more than he faithfully represents it.
With Au but, Boucher anticipates the great sports movement of the 1890s and the organization of the Olympic Games in 1896. His work enjoys immense success as it is awarded a medal at the Salon of 1886 and then a medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. The original, measuring over 2 meters high and presented at the Jardin du Luxembourg, disappeared during World War II. Only the numerous commercial reductions remain, including the one exhibited at the Musée Camille Claudel.
Source : Musée Camille Claudel