A beautiful and large scale marble French 19th century white Carrara marble bust signed Paul Aubé 1864. The very high quality bust is raised by a square base with an elegantly curved socle shaped support with a mottled border and... — Read More

A beautiful and large scale marble French 19th century white Carrara marble bust signed Paul Aubé 1864. The very high quality bust is raised by a square base with an elegantly curved socle shaped support with a mottled border and striking central family crest with three open winged eagles. The bust likely depicts Demeter, the goddess of Agriculture, as a beautiful young lady dressed in a wonderfully executed flowing garment with richly sculpted lace at the front. She wears a crown of wheat and her hair in an updo.

Jean-Paul Aubé was a French sculptor born in Longwy, France on July 5th 1837 and died in 1916. He was a student of Duret and of Dantan and studied at l’École des Beaux-Arts before studying decorative sculpture in Italy. He first displayed his work at the Salon d’Exhibitions in Paris in 1861 with a bust of Mérimée. He received a second medal in 1874 and a third in 1878 then receiving a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1889. He was also named as an officer de la Légion d’Honneur, one of the highest French orders of merit, both military and civil. His works can still be seen in many museums across France such as in La Rochelle, Montpelier, Nancy, Bourg and Bucarest to name but a few. — Read Less