ARTHUR WAAGEN (GERMAN, 1833-1898): A LARGE METAMORPHIC, PATINATED, COLD PAINTED AND PARCEL GILT SPELTER ORIENTALIST FIGURE OF AN EXOTIC DANCER

the Odalisque standing on tip toes and holding a tambourine in her right hand, wearing a tasselled and striped shawl and a headdress, both detaching to reveal her nude below except for a necklace, raised on a base naturalistically cast as a lion pelt, signed to the base 'Waagen',

71cm high

Arthur Waagen was born in Germany but settled in Paris, opening his own studio at Cours-de-Vincennes. Records show that he exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon between 1861 and 1887 and is probably most famous for his dramatic Orientalist group 'Kabyle au Retour de la Chasse'. He worked mostly in spelter rather than bronze but his sculptures are of equal if not better quality than many of the bronzes produced by his contemporaries.

Auction Comparable: See the pair of patinated and gilt spelter Orientalist figures of dancers sold at Sotheby's, New York, 26 October 2010, lot 171, sold $15,000.

Related Literature: P. Kjellberg, 'Bronzes of the Nineteenth Century; Dictionary of Sculptors', Atglen, 1994, p. 647