Uranie, Muse of Astronomy
Original posthumous patinated bronze proof, representing a draped woman in a meditative position, the chin in her hand.
A rectangular base is used as a pedestal.
The sculpture has been created around 1950.
Signed: A. Janniot.
Foundry: Bodin – Cast number: 2/8 – 2004.
Dimensions (with the base) :
Height: 12 in.
Width: 6 in.
Depth: 5 in.
Certificate:
This bronze proof is one of the twelve legal proofs realised after the death of the artist, from the original plaster (private collection, France). It is done in similar conditions than when Janniot was alive. Its is coming with a certificate from Galerie Michel Giraud, according to the artist’s legal successor Mrs Anne Demeurisse, who authorized the posthumous edition of this sculpture.
Commentaire :
Considered as a study for the Uranie figure of the Earth legend (Tokyo palace), this sculpture belonged in fact to the group Symbolising “the Sciences”. Not realised, this group which was foreseen for Vienna (Austria), represented this sculpture facing a seated figure, “the Earth”. The plaster of the latter is held in a private collection. Uranie would then be an allegory of Scientific reflection.
Museum:
A similar bronze proof is in the musée des Années 30 in Boulogne-Billancourt.
This bronze proof has been exhibited at the occasion of the retrospective Alfred Janniot : sculpteur des années trente at the Musée des Beaux Arts Jules Chéret of Nice from 12 September to 9 December 2007.
Bibliography :
Alfred Janniot, à la gloire de Nice, Paris : GMG éditions, 2007, similar bronze proof ill. p. 77 n°53
Galerie Michel Giraud, Alfred Janniot, propos mythologiques et modernes, Paris : GMG éditions & la Librairie du Passage, 2006, pp. 136-137 (similar bronze proof ill. p. 136).
Sous la direction d’Anne Demeurisse, Alfred Auguste Janniot, Paris : Somogy éditions d’art, 2003, similar bronze proof ill. p. 169.
