French Bronze Sculpture "Drinking Panther" by Clovis Masson

A beautifully executed early 20th Century French Animalier bronze study of a majestic panther drinking from a pool of water. The rich patination and very fine hand chased surface detail, raised on a naturalistic granite base, signed C. Masson. A beautiful high quality bronze sculpture in superb original condition. Signed C. Masson to the base. Clovis-Edmond Masson (1838-1913) Born and died in Paris. A pupil of Barye, Rouillard and Santiago. He exhibited his animalier sculpture regularly at the Salon from 1867 until 1909. He regularly exhibited at the Salon des Beaux Arts as well as the Salon des Artistes Francais where he received an honourable mention in 1890. His work is often playful and inventive, with a certain licence from his mentor, Barye. Over the years at least fifty-two of his works were exhibited at the Salon by Masson, chiefly of the cat family with titles such as ‘African Leopard defending its Prey’ in 1881. The most common of his sculptures are his animals of the cat family, often powerfully modelled in a manner that seems to anticipate the forms and style of the 1910 to 1930 period. His son Jules- Edmond Masson also became a sculptor and studied under his father. Please contact us for further details and a delivery price.