Ange Jouant du Violin by Gaston Leroux

Gaston Veuvenot Leroux
1854-1942 | French

Ange Jouant du Violon
(Angel Playing the Violin)

Signed "G. Leroux" (on base)
Bronze with green-olive patina on gilt base

The work of the renowned French sculptor Gaston Leroux, this exceptional bronze brings to life a charming winged musician. Complete with his violin, the cupid figure exhibits a high level of dynamism, detail and artistry, from the individual feathers in the putti's wings to the foliage-covered rock upon which he rests.

Putti have been used for allegorical portrayals since ancient times. From young, mischievous gods of love to boisterous embodiments of the bacchanal, putti proliferate throughout art history, particularly in the neoclassical art of the 19th century. Delightful groups of musical putti such as the present piece were among the most popular forms of allegorical representation, and remain highly cherished to this day.

Born in Paris in 1854, Gaston Veuvenot Leroux was a student of the famed French sculptor François Jouffroy. Leroux became a regular exhibitor at the Paris Salon, earning honorable mentions in 1882 and 1883, and a third class medal in 1885. He received a medal and a traveling fellowship in 1885, and further medals in 1889 and 1900, both at the Salons and at the Expositions Universelles; he was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1908. Particularly renowned for his Orientalist bronzes, Leroux achieved considerable fame during his lifetime.

15" wide x 14 5/8" deep x 26 1/2" high