BRONZE WITH BROWN PATINA, "THE PRISONER" SIGNED EDOUARD DROUOT

A bronze sculpture with a brown patina depicting "The Prisoner," a man in motion, standing amidst ruins (remains of ancient columns and capitals). The prisoner has just freed himself from the ropes that bound his wrists. The movement of his gesture is perfectly perceptible, and the power of his angry body reveals the intensity of the moment. He rests on a dark green marble base. Signed "E. Drouot" at the base. Edouard Drouot (1859-1945) was a French sculptor who began his career as a genre painter but devoted the rest of his life to sculpture. At a young age, he left his native village to study in Paris in the studios of Emile Thomas and then Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912). The latter taught him a very academic and formal style of sculpting, perfectly in keeping with the taste of the time. However, Edouard Drouot favored movement and expressiveness in his works. He depicted figures in precariously balanced poses, which gave them an irresistible grace, as demonstrated by his famous bronze sculpture of the Greek god Pan. Drouot's sculptures reveal a penchant for the fluidity, rhythm, and curves of Art Nouveau. 19th century, circa 1890. Dimensions: 34 cm. D:20cm, H:54cm. Slight wear to the patina on the trunk. The marble base is in very good condition.