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Lot Essay
Joseph Chinard (1756-1813) was the most important sculptor of the late 18th century working outside of Paris. Exceptionally gifted in his Neoclassical portraiture, his portraits of women were particularly well-regarded, with attention to the naturalistic and delicate details. This set him apart from his contemporaries who rather adhered to more of the classical ideal. While the present lot may represent a departure from the work for which he is so well known, this majestic bull embodies the tenets of his oeuvre in sentiment. The impressive scale coupled with the execution in solid Carrara marble further sets this apart as a rare and important object.
Born in Lyon, Chinard studied at the Ecole Royale Académique de Dessin and worked under the employ of local artists on commissions such as Lyon’s Hôtel de Ville. After gaining some notoriety, Chinard continued his studies in Rome in 1784, and in 1786 won first price from the Concorso Balestra of the Accademia di San Luca for his terracotta Perseus and Andromeda, the first Frenchman to do so in sixty years. Chinard continued to travel between Italy and France periodically between 1788 and 1791, competing various commissions for his growing number of patrons.
Chinard was almost certainly inspired by the toretto antico by Francesco Antonio Franzoni (1734-1818) in the Sala degli Animali of the Pio Clementino Museum at the Vatican. Franzoni was one of the main restorers of ancient sculptures in Rome during the 18th century. A favorite of Pope Pius VI, he made a whole series of marble animals, many of which were partly composed of ancient fragments. The bull statue in the papal collection was first restored by Franzoni and then sold to Pope Pius VI with a set of sculptures mentioned in an inventory drawn up between 1777 and 1784. According to this inventory, Franzoni not only restored the bull's legs, but also added the horns and ears, preserving the antique style.
The depiction of the white bull often symbolizes the god Zeus (or Jove) as depicted in the Cretan tale of Europa's abduction. Zeus, enchanted by Europa's beauty, transforms himself into a white bull and approaches her, eventually carrying her away from Phoenicia to the Island of Crete. Chinard’s addition of the intricate woven saddle may serve to create a separation from earlier more traditional portrayals of the bull, either as Zeus or in a more sacrificial sense as they were often characterized. It may also be a subtle nod to his upbringing as part of a family which specialized in the production of costly silks, and gold and silver thread fabrics. Chinard's thoughtful attention to naturalism, as with his portraits, is evident here in the articulation of the bull’s spine and hind bones, and the gentle wrinkling of his slightly turned neck. His bull is resplendent and dignified in its pose, while still exemplifying its bestial power.
Born in Lyon, Chinard studied at the Ecole Royale Académique de Dessin and worked under the employ of local artists on commissions such as Lyon’s Hôtel de Ville. After gaining some notoriety, Chinard continued his studies in Rome in 1784, and in 1786 won first price from the Concorso Balestra of the Accademia di San Luca for his terracotta Perseus and Andromeda, the first Frenchman to do so in sixty years. Chinard continued to travel between Italy and France periodically between 1788 and 1791, competing various commissions for his growing number of patrons.
Chinard was almost certainly inspired by the toretto antico by Francesco Antonio Franzoni (1734-1818) in the Sala degli Animali of the Pio Clementino Museum at the Vatican. Franzoni was one of the main restorers of ancient sculptures in Rome during the 18th century. A favorite of Pope Pius VI, he made a whole series of marble animals, many of which were partly composed of ancient fragments. The bull statue in the papal collection was first restored by Franzoni and then sold to Pope Pius VI with a set of sculptures mentioned in an inventory drawn up between 1777 and 1784. According to this inventory, Franzoni not only restored the bull's legs, but also added the horns and ears, preserving the antique style.
The depiction of the white bull often symbolizes the god Zeus (or Jove) as depicted in the Cretan tale of Europa's abduction. Zeus, enchanted by Europa's beauty, transforms himself into a white bull and approaches her, eventually carrying her away from Phoenicia to the Island of Crete. Chinard’s addition of the intricate woven saddle may serve to create a separation from earlier more traditional portrayals of the bull, either as Zeus or in a more sacrificial sense as they were often characterized. It may also be a subtle nod to his upbringing as part of a family which specialized in the production of costly silks, and gold and silver thread fabrics. Chinard's thoughtful attention to naturalism, as with his portraits, is evident here in the articulation of the bull’s spine and hind bones, and the gentle wrinkling of his slightly turned neck. His bull is resplendent and dignified in its pose, while still exemplifying its bestial power.