French Early 20 Century Bronze of Two Playful Monkeys signed Rochard

A patinated bronze sculpture depicting two monkeys embracing as they both pull in a tree branch; French circa 1935:  Signed Rochard for Irenee Rene Rochard (1906-1984).

Irénée ROCHARD was born in Villefranche sur Saône in 1906, In a family of artists: his mother was a painter and his brother became the actor-singer Armand Mestral.  When he chose the course of an artist’s life he soon turned to animal sculpting.  Rochard was a successful sculptor during the Art Deco period and became an associate of the Salon des Beaux Arts Francais, he won the bronze medal at their salon in 1941. Between the two world wars, he frequently met with the circles of animal sculpture artists, mainly with François POMPOM and Marcel Edouard SANDO.  He expressed his talents mostly through bronze but also worked with ceramics wood granite and marble.  He constantly aimed at giving a manner of intelligence to his animals, to try to bring out their personality, their gentleness, or their fierceness.  He modelled all types of animals.

His modern workmanship gives them the typical suppleness and gracefulness of their shapes.  Well-served by outstanding gifts of observation and composition, ROCHARD always kept developing his talent.

Dimensions: 12″ (  30 cm ) H x 9″ ( 23 cm ) x 4″ ( 10 cm ) D