W 2019 roku egzemplarz tej rzeźby, wyceniony 30,000 – 50,000 euro, sprzedano we francuskim Chaville Encheres za … 225,000 euro. Odlewnią brązu była również firma Valsuani lecz nie ma informacji o ilości wykonanych egzemplarzy oraz nie wiadomo czy obecna rzeźba z aukcji pochodzi z tej samej partii. Zapowiada się ciekawa licytacja. Jestem zdziwiony, że gipsowy model służący do wykonania odlewów zaginął. Wiele można się nauczyć z opisu katalogowego.

Lot 254. August ZAMOYSKI (1893-1970). Formalist portrait of Franz Löwy. Bronze with black patina Signed on the base ‘ A. ZAMOYSKI’ ON THE BASE Bears the founder’s stamp “CIRE/VALSUANI/PERDU Height without base : 49 cm Executed around 1950 after the plaster model made in 1922, now lost Bibliography: Zofia Kossakowska-Szanajca, August Zamoyski 1893-1970, MNW, Warsaw 1993, n°89, repr.p.55, (original plaster). Catalog of the exhibition at the National Museum in Warsaw. Anna Lipa, August Zamoyski. Myslec w Kamieniu. Muzeum Literatury, Warsaw 2019, repr.p.144 (original plaster) Maria Sledzianowska, August Zamoyski. Nie tylko z Archwum, Muzeum Literatury, Warsaw 2019, repr.p.423 (original plaster) The sculpture represents Franz Löwy (1883-1949), an Austrian photographer who also had a studio in Paris. He had worked for Zamoyski in the 1920s. After the annexation of Austria in 1938, Franz Löwy emigrated to Brazil.

This is a very rare example of the artist’s work from the Formism period, before he moved towards a more classical expression. This sculpture is also part of the series of “double portraits”, where Zamoyski treats the subject in two ways, one realistic, the other with a maximum deformation of the model’s face. This formalist version, with its rigorous construction but great expression, is one of the artist’s best achievements of this period. August Zamoyski, for a long time a forgotten artist, who according to some specialists would deserve his place among the greatest of his generation – such as Lipschitz, Zadkine or Laurens – is back on the scene. The action undertaken by the Museum of Literature and National Museum in Warsaw under the title “Zamoyski Project” has helped to advance research on his work. Also, its presence on the market remains important to make this artist known to the general public. We are pleased to be able to present this major piece from an important period in Zamoyski’s career.

Estimate 50,000 -80,000 euro. Hôtel des Ventes de Chantilly Oise enchères. 01/29/23. Sold 60,000 euro