BY BENOÎT (DIT BÉNÉDICT) ROUGELET (1834-1894), LATE 19TH CENTURY

Formed in the atelier of his father and that of renowned sculptor, Francisque-Joseph Duret, Benoît (dit Bénédict) Rougelet first showed at the Salon of 1868. Over the course of his career, he executed a series of sculptures including a monument to painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze for the city of Tournus and a group of medallions for the façade of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Rougelet also created marble groups of playful putti of similar size and style to the present lot including one sold Christie’s, London, 29 April 2010, lot 254 (£33,650). Lami notes that Rougelet showed a plaster model, As pas peur! (Don’t be afraid!), at the Salon of 1891, no. 2580 (see S. Lami, Dictonnaire des Sculpteurs de l’École Française au Dix-Neuvième Siècle, Paris, 1921, p. 194) which, owing to its title, and comparisons to similar works by the artist, could possibly have served as the precedent for the present marble.