HENRY DASSON (Paris 1825 – Saint-Germain-en-Laye 1896)
Fish on a Crest of a Wave
signed and dated on the base Henry Dasson 1879
height: 3 ¾ inches (9.5 cm), length: 7 7/8 inches (20 cm), depth 3 ¾ inches (9.5 cm)
bronze, chocolate brown patina
PROVENANCE
Victor Frances Gallery, London, 2003
LITERATURE
The Sculpture Journal, volumes 6-7, Public Monuments and Sculpture Association, London, 2001, p. 16
Henry Dasson was the most famous maker of gilt-bronze mounted furniture during the second half of the 19th century. Due to the fact that he started his career as a bronze sculptor, the quality of his bronze ornamentation was always exceptional. His furniture designs reanimated those of the 18th century, reinterpreting the styles of Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI. In 1878 and 1889 he exhibited a number of works at the Universelles Expositions in Paris. In 1883 he became a member of the Legion of Honor. Examples of his work can be found in the Haggin Museum, Stockton, California; Leeds Museum, Leeds; Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, Tokyo; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. [1]
This is a subject rarely seen in 19th century bronzes, encountered more often in the 20th century. [2] This highly styled fish is a tribute to his skill of design, and one of Dasson’s few signed sculptures.