Art Nouveau Bronze - Young Girl Bathing - signed Leon Bertaux

The offered Art Nouveau bronze called "Young Girl Bathing" was made in 1870 by the French sculptor Hélène Bertaux. It allegorises a resting young nude girl with a dragon fly on her back. The sculpture is mounted onto a base of polished black marble. Naturally and realistically the waves of the water wash around her small and filigree body with perfect skin. It seems like the young girl is dreaming, satisfied and happy. This beautiful Art Nouveau bronze figurine is made of 100% finest bronze along with high quality dark marble. As the original, this bronze cast is signed with Leon Bertaux.

As all of the bronze products in our shop, this exhibit is hand-cast in our own foundry and subject to our strict quality inspections throughout the entire process of fabrication. All of our sculptures are exclusively compounded with the help of lost-wax casting.

Art Nouveau Statues - Art Nouveau Nudes - Bronze Statues for Sale

The French sculptor Hélène Bertaux underwent her initial training in the studio of her father (Hebert), a minor ornamental sculptor, followed by later studies with Augustin Dumont. She frequently exhibited and was particularly successful in attaining the support of government officials and the imperial household which opened doors of opportunity for her. She also played a major role in getting women's artistic advancement recognized in the late 1800s; she instituted the Union of Women Painters, Sculptors and Engravers in 1881, was editor of its monthly journal, established the first sculpture school for women, set up several monetary awards for women artists and worked to force the Ecole des Beaux-Arts to open its doors to women. Bertaux was the first woman member elected to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1896.