"Molière l'Enfant:The Young Molière" By Adrien Étienne Gaudez

Molière l'Enfant : The Young Molière By Adrien Étienne Gaudez

This delightful cast bronze statue depicts Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (French, 1622-1673), known as Molière; a wonderful historical study that captures the playwright and actor as a carefree youth. Reclined in a worn out chair, and judging by the worn out covering and loose fringe and gimp this is likely the chair he is supposed to be upholstering.The young upholsterer's apprentice is spending his afternoon with a small book opened across his lap instead of his assigned task, and hasn't a care in the world, his tacking hammer held loosely in his hand as he is totally enveloped by the text. It captures Molière working for his father, who had purchased the post of valet de chambre ordinaire et tapissier du Roi, and was responsible for maintaining the carpets and upholstery of the furnishings for the King of France, a post that was often hereditary and that his father hoped to pass on to him one day.

The sculpture offers a glimpse at Molière's chosen path, much to the chagrin of his father, leaving the world of upholstery unfinished and following the written word into a world of creativity.

The modeling of the statue overall is superb. Gaudez is a true master of the genre scene in sculpture, and this this piece perfectly exemplifies his skilled capability to realistically model the human body in relaxed positions. Moreover, the modeling of the carved wooden chair legs, soft dangling tassels, individual book pages, and bunched fabrics is incredibly crisp, almost leading me to believe that we may be able to learn something about 19th century upholstery practices from this piece. Set on a swivel base, it is quite easy to change the position of the statue, once it is placed. 

Signed on the left, and stamped "H" with a foundry mark " Freres Editeurs - Paris - Susse" surrounding an emblem of three overlapping tools. 

Title: The Upholsterer's Apprentice 
Maker: Adrien Étienne Gaudez (1845-1902)
Date: Circa 1890
Dimension: 30in. x 16 in x 15 in.