JUSTIN CHRYSOSTÔME SANSON

Height x diameter: 71 x 25 cm.

Extraordinary bronze sculpture by the French artist Justin Chrysostome Sanson, a leading figure in nineteenth-century bronze and marble sculpture. Born in Nemours on August 8, 1833, Sanson achieved wide renown with the presentation of Le Danseur de Saltarelle in 1861, a work that earned him the First Grand Prize of Rome.
The original version was cast by the Thiebaut Foundry at monumental dimensions (168 cm), while in 1869 reduced versions of 55 cm and 72 cm were produced under the title Le Danseur Romain. The work was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1866 and subsequently placed in the Jardin de Diane at Fontainebleau.
Throughout his career, Sanson continued to distinguish himself for the elegance and vitality of his figures, remaining active until his death in Paris on November 2, 1910. Among his last creations is Coquetterie (1910).
Several variants of Le Danseur de Saltarelle exist, including the version known as Youth Dancing, illustrated in Berman’s catalogue with an animal skin around the hips—a model that was more widespread and favored on the market of the period.
The present sculpture bears the incised signature “J. Sanson - Roma” on the base and the foundry mark “Boyer Frères Bronziers, A Paris.”
A work of rare quality and charm, it stands as a significant example of the great French bronze tradition of the nineteenth century, sought after today by collectors for its technical perfection and its art-historical value.