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Lot Essay
Clodion is well known for his playful bas-reliefs depicting bacchic revellers that would once have formed part of the architectural decoration of a Parisian town house or salon. Groups such as Baccanale d'Enfants, Le Triomphe d'Ariane and Pan poursuivant Syrinx sous le regard de L'Amour (in the Metropolitan, New York, the Musée du Petit Palais and the Louvre, Paris, respectively) all exemplify Clodion's interest in the depiction of frolicking nymphs, bacchic processions and playful putti.
The present lot, which is later in facture, appears to be a direct copy of a known example now in a private collection entitled Le Triomphe d'Amphitrite. In this example the Nereid, who previously escaped from Neptune's wooing, is depicted returning to the sea god on the back of two dolphins so that she can be his bride. Scherf (loc. cit.) mentions that, along with the latter, there are three additional versions, two in plaster and one in terracotta, which are still known to exist, suggesting that the present lot may have been cast from one of those versions.
The present lot, which is later in facture, appears to be a direct copy of a known example now in a private collection entitled Le Triomphe d'Amphitrite. In this example the Nereid, who previously escaped from Neptune's wooing, is depicted returning to the sea god on the back of two dolphins so that she can be his bride. Scherf (loc. cit.) mentions that, along with the latter, there are three additional versions, two in plaster and one in terracotta, which are still known to exist, suggesting that the present lot may have been cast from one of those versions.