Emile Guillemin (1841-1907) - Sculpture, Méhariste Soudanais - 45 cm - Spelter

Émile GUILLEMIN (active late 19th century)
Sudanese meharist

Circa 1880–1890

Cast in régule, with traces of original polychromy
Signature « E. GUILLEMIN » on the base
Provenance: private collection

Superb Orientalist sculpture depicting a Sudanese meharist, an emblematic work of the Orientalist taste at the end of the 19th century. The scene, of great narrative intensity, accurately captures the rider’s proud bearing and his mount is treated with a remarkable sense of movement and balance.

The quality of the casting is distinguished by remarkable detail: the modeling of the face, the handling of the drapery, and the finely worked harness. The subtle traces of antique polychromy enhance the visual presence of the whole and attest to the care taken in its execution at the time of its creation.

Signed E. Guillemin, a sculptor renowned for his animal and Orientalist subjects, this work fully belongs to the great tradition of French decorative sculpture of the late 19th century, highly prized by collectors. The subject of the meharist, rare and evocative, embodies both exotism, elegance and the fascination with the Orient that characterized this period.

Through its decorative force, its condition, its readable signature and its provenance from a private collection, this sculpture is a piece of choice, suitable for both a discerning amateur and a collection specializing in Orientalist art.