Christophe Fratin (1801 – 1864) - Ewer (2) - Patinated bronze

Art Nouveau vase pair by one of the most famous French sculptors of animals.
Unique and rare objects with a special atmosphere.

Country of origin: France

Height: 16 cm
Width: 8,5 cm
Depth: 6 cm
Weight: (two): 1123 g


Christophe Fratin was one of the earliest sculptors to exclusively depict animals as the central theme of his work, a subject matter that would eventually become known as the Animalier school. His sculpture is perhaps best characterized as being technically and anatomically exact while his ability to work creatively in the surface defined his oeuvre and makes his work immediately recognizable.

Documents record his birth year as 1800 in Metz, France. Initially studying under Charles Augustin Pioche (French, 1762-1839). Fratin was moved to Paris. Here he worked in the studio of celebrated painter and sculptor Théodore Géricault.
He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1831 to 1842. Taking a break from exhibiting at Salon until after the Revolution, he began submitting work again from 1850 through 1862. The citation with his awarded medal during London's Great Exhibition of 1851 noted him as being the greatest animal sculptor of his day.

Unlike his contemporaries, Antoine-Louise Barye and Pierre Jules Mene, Christophe Fratin had no foundry of his own and relied on the services of Parisian foundries to cast his work for him. He is recorded as having terra-cotta models cast by Susse Freres as early as the 1830s. He funded at his own expense and also largely supervised the casting of a larger portion of his models by Quesnel through 1847, these being almost without exception of exquisite quality. Models were also cast later in his life by the houses of Thiebaut Freres, Daubré, Richard, Eck and Durand as well as Debraux D'Anglure.