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The Potter by Léon Olivié-Bon
- This masterwork by Léon Olivié-Bon elevates a craftsman to heroic status
- Its impressive scale, revolutionary subject and theatrical illumination make it exceptional
- It was displayed at the 1888 Paris Salon, the highest honor of a 19th-century artist's career
- Get complete item description here
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1863-1901 | French
The Potter
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated "Olivie-Bon 1888" (lower right)
This monumental masterpiece by French artist Léon Olivié-Bon is one of the finest by the celebrated artist. Its impressive scale and revolutionary subject matter would have commanded attention at the prestigious Paris Salon, where it was showcased in 1888. At over four feet high, The Potter beautifully elevates a humble craftsman to heroic status.
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1863-1901 | French
The Potter
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated "Olivie-Bon 1888" (lower right)
This monumental masterpiece by French artist Léon Olivié-Bon is one of the finest by the celebrated artist. Its impressive scale and revolutionary subject matter would have commanded attention at the prestigious Paris Salon, where it was showcased in 1888. At over four feet high, The Potter beautifully elevates a humble craftsman to heroic status.
To be invited to showcase a painting in the Salon was often the high point of an artist’s career. Artists reserved their finest works for this prestigious venue, and Olivié-Bon followed suit with The Potter. His rendering of the ceramicist at work captivates through both technical brilliance and emotional resonance, with a strategic beam of sunlight creating a theatrical illumination within the bustling studio.
The depiction of laborers in fine art underwent a profound transformation throughout the 19th century. Before mid-century, academic tradition dictated that significant paintings should portray classical, mythological, religious or aristocratic subjects. Working-class figures appeared primarily as peripheral elements or in genre scenes of rustic charm, rarely as worthy central subjects for serious artistic consideration.
Jean-François Millet's revolutionary Gleaners (1857) marked a decisive turning point, despite huge criticism from the artistic establishment. These groundbreaking works elevated peasant labor to a level of dignity previously reserved for classical heroes. The Potter exemplifies this pivotal shift in artistic consciousness. Rather than romanticizing or sentimentalizing manual labor, Olivié-Bon presents his subject with stoic dignity, capturing both the physical prowess and intellectual concentration of the craftsman. The work stands as a visual manifesto for the elevation of craft to art.
Olivié-Bon's career, though brilliant, was tragically short (1863-1901), resulting in a very limited body of work. After the success of The Potter at the 1888 Salon, he continued exhibiting, securing a medal at the 1892 Salon. By his untimely death at just 38 years old, he had firmly established himself among the significant talents of his generation.
Painted 1888
Canvas: 52 7/8" high x 42 1/2" wide (134.30 x 107.95 cm)
Frame: 60 1/4" high x 50 1/4" wide x 3" deep (153.04 x 127.64 x 7.62 cm)
Exhibited:
Paris, Salon des Artistes Français, 1888, no. 1936
Buy With Confidence
For over a century, we've placed important art, rare jewels and exceptional objects with more than 14,000 collectors worldwide, and have been recognized by trusted publications including Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.
On Approval
Examine select works in person before you commit
125% Guarantee
Full credit plus 5% annual appreciation for five years
Trusted Expertise
Over two centuries of combined experience across our specialists
