拍品专文
The present work is unique in the artist's oeuvre in that it is Daumier's only bas-relief. It is not clear when Daumier executed the two original clay versions of Les Emigrants. K. E. Maison (op. cit.) believes the related drawing was done before 1850. Jean Adhémar ascribes the clay versions to the artist's early period. Ernst Fuchs gives them a later date, 1855, and Maurice Gobin (op. cit.) supplies the latest dating of all, 1870-1871.
The clay originals, whose eventual fate is unknown, were very fragile, and Daumier had his friend and sculptor Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume make a plaster version of each, one of which is today in the possession of the artist's family, the other in the Louvre.
In the 1890s, the Siot-Decauville foundry cast an edition of three bronzes from the second version of the plaster. Eugène Rudier used this same plaster in 1950 to cast an edition of ten bronzes; however, these sculptures differ from the first edition, as they have no border, like this one. Around 1960, Georges Rudier made an edition of ten bronzes from the first plaster version. The present copy appears to have been cast outside this edition and bearns an indistinct foundry mark.
The clay originals, whose eventual fate is unknown, were very fragile, and Daumier had his friend and sculptor Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume make a plaster version of each, one of which is today in the possession of the artist's family, the other in the Louvre.
In the 1890s, the Siot-Decauville foundry cast an edition of three bronzes from the second version of the plaster. Eugène Rudier used this same plaster in 1950 to cast an edition of ten bronzes; however, these sculptures differ from the first edition, as they have no border, like this one. Around 1960, Georges Rudier made an edition of ten bronzes from the first plaster version. The present copy appears to have been cast outside this edition and bearns an indistinct foundry mark.