This is a superb, attributed Adrien Gaudez sculpture titled " Acteon" which in Greek is
Actaeon the mythical Theban hero showing him poised to throw a spear at prey. The definition of the fingers and toes, which usually shows the true mastery of the sculptor, is on full display here as the finest possible articulation. The sculpture is most likely after Gaudez because it is likely later than his death. The piece dates to the 1920s era and is 42.25 tall x 20.5 wide x 14.5 tall and is absolutely spectacular. The piece has a great patina and the spear is slightly bent but can be bent back.
Actaeon (/ækˈtiːən/; Ancient Greek: Ἀκταίων Aktaiōn),[1] in Greek mythology, was the son of the priestly herdsman Aristaeus and Autonoe in Boeotia, and a famous Theban hero. Through his mother he was a member of the ruling House of Cadmus. Like Achilles, in a later generation, he was trained by the centaur Chiron.
Adrien Étienne Gaudez was a French artist known for his figurative bronze sculptures, especially his large-scale monuments and busts. Like his contemporaries Joseph Jules Descombes Cormier and Jef Lambeaux, Gaudez fabricated his designs for commercial means, though he did exhibit regularly at Paris Salons beginning in 1864. Having been a prisoner of war in 1870, he erected a commemorative statue in memory of the French soldiers who also befell his fate, which opened in 1892. Born on February 2, 1845 in Lyon, France, the sculptor studied at Paris’ Ecole des Beaux-Arts with Francois Jouffroy as his tutor. Though his work primarily explored classical motifs, as his career progressed, Gaudez delved into the curvilinear forms and ornament characteristic of Art Nouveau. He died on January 23, 1902 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
Height: 42.25 in (107.32 cm) Width: 20.5 in (52.07 cm) Depth: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)
Wear consistent with age and use. The piece has a great patina and the spear is slightly bent but can be bent back.
