Games of Antiquity/ La Victoire/ - Lot 9

Games of Antiquity/ La Victoire/ Laurent Marqueste (1848-1920) Monumental bronze sculpture of the Toulouse genius ....Victory in its fullness, wings spread, the crown for the victor's head in the right hand, and the palm in the left. A masterpiece on its planisphere base, also in bronze, and on its hard stone pedestal (4.5cm). H. 45 cm Impressive, airy work by the great southern artist... A pupil of Falguière, winner of the Prix de Rome, king of allegorical sculpture (further proof here), he was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1900 Exposition Universelle, which supported the Olympic Games... It's a long way from saying that he was the first winner of the Olympic art competition, even if Clémence Isaure and Claude Nougaro were to urge us on.