Christophe Fratin (1790 - 1864)

Probably first Fratin sale, Me Bonnefons de Lavialle, Paris, 16–18 April 1850, lot 200;

Collection of Angela Gross Folk, New Jersey;

Here sale, Neal Auction Company, New Orleans, 21 April 2023, lot 21.

Catalogue of all published and unpublished bronze models by M. Fratin, sculptor, by Me Bonnefons de Lavialle, Paris, 16–18 April 1850, lot 200 (probably the present bronze).

In Western culture, the motif of the elephant carrying a palanquin (or howdah) is a theme that is simultaneously Oriental and triumphant, with roots reaching back to Antiquity. The earliest known description of a caparisoned elephant bearing a royal chariot appears in the accounts of Megasthenes, ambassador of Seleucus to the Indian king Chandragupta (circa 302–298 BCE). Since then, this highly exotic motif has continually appeared in art and literature, later embraced by French Romantic artists. Among them, Fratin here offers, arguably, the most sophisticated sculptural interpretation of a parade elephant, inspired by princely hunts and processions.

The animal kingdom is central to the work of this son of a taxidermist from Metz. Trained in Paris in the studio of Géricault, Fratin developed a fertile imagination nourished by Romantic models. Among his most original creations are anthropomorphic bears and monkeys, a singular and amusing iconography connected to the 18th century French singeries, satirizing human manners and customs. At the same time, Fratin developed a rich corpus of animal sculpture, contemporary with Antoine-Louis Barye. Big cats, cervids, dogs, birds of prey, wild boars, horses—objects of his genuine passion—as well as elephants, whether African or Asian, and rarer rhinoceroses, compose his meticulously observed bestiary.

The Ménagerie of the Jardin des Plantes, where the pair of Asian elephants Castor and Pollux were among the most popular attractions, certainly offered Fratin the opportunity to study these rare pachyderms and their singular morphology. It was likely during his first trip to London, between 1833 and 1835, that Fratin encountered the subject of the refined exoticism of a parade elephant bearing a howdah. The young sculptor, who debuted at the Salon in 1831, executed several commissions for British patrons and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1835 and 1836. There was also unique opportunity to observe the magnificence of India, a jewel of the British Empire, particularly at the East India House Museum and the Royal Society of Arts, where between 1833 and 1834 were exhibited treasures of Indian applied arts (cf. Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Court, op. cit.). The figure of the maharaja and the splendor of his court entered English culture, as evidenced by the 1851 Great Exhibition, with a highly noted section at Crystal Palace. Among the treasures graciously offered by the Nawab Nazim of Bengal, visitors could admire two palanquins, including one made of ivory and gold.

As early as 1850, Fratin organized the first sale of his models ; the catalogue offers valuable insight into the sculptor’s boundless creativity (op. cit.). The elephant is represented by six different models: Female African Elephant defending her young against a lion (no. 199); Large Group, Elephant, Tiger Hunt (no. 201); Elephant and Chinese (no. 202); Elephant killing a tiger (no. 203); Asian Elephant (no. 204); and an example of the present model, Elephant, Palanquin Ride (no. 200). Only one other bronze of this particularly identifiable model is known to date, the latter without the canopy and therefore smaller in size (see P. Kjellberg, op. cit., p. 326, ill., untitled Elephant ridden by two Indians). The present example could therefore well be the one from the 1850 sale, the date of which would be the terminus ante quem for the casting.

This atypical and particularly ambitious subject may be considered one of Fratin’s masterpieces. It presents a fantasized vision of the splendors of the Indian maharajas, religious, military, and political leaders, as well as patrons and protectors of the arts. Beyond the subject and the extreme rarity of the model, the present bronze is also remarkable for its large dimensions and exceptional quality of casting. One can admire, intact, Fratin’s dynamic touch, which graphically renders the network of wrinkles marking the pachyderm’s cracked skin, the vegetation crushed under its surprisingly graceful step, and the lavish ornamentation of the palanquin. The excellent chiseling work further enhances the textural contrasts and the play of light on the various surfaces.

RELATED LITERATURE

S. Lami, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs de l'École française au XIXe siècle, vol. II, 1914–21, pp. 403–405;

J. J. A. Bougon, Le Sculpteur animalier Christophe Fratin (Metz) 1801–1864, Le Raincy, 1983;

P. Kjellberg, Les bronzes du XIXe siècle, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs, Paris, 1987, pp. 322-327;

M. Poletti, A. Richarme, Fratin. Objets décoratifs & Sculptures romantiques, exh. cat., Univers du Bronze, Paris, 2000;

Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Court, exh. cat., Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2009.