Thomas Moore
Head of Department
Lot 34Ф,Y
'Etoile de Mer' (Starfish) a Fine Art Deco Parcel-Gilt/Silvered Bronze and Carved Ivory Figure by Demetre Chiparus (Romanian, 1886-1947) SIGNED TO MARBLE 'D.H.Chiparus'; CIRCA 1925
5 April 2017, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£100,000 - £150,000
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Michael Lake
Head of Department
John Sandon
Consultant
Ellis Finch
Head of Knightsbridge Silver Department
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'Etoile de Mer' (Starfish) a Fine Art Deco Parcel-Gilt/Silvered Bronze and Carved Ivory Figure by Demetre Chiparus (Romanian, 1886-1947)
SIGNED TO MARBLE 'D.H.Chiparus'; CIRCA 1925
depicting a dancer in a close fitting full body costume with aquatic design, cold-painted in vibrant iridescent tones of Prussian blue and silver, the elongated stance adopted by the figure is on on tip-toe with both arms raised to a point above her head, mounted on a shaped onyx base with green onyx and Portor marble sections; together with a Verde Antico variegated marble pedestal
height of figure - 56cm; figure including base - 75.5cm; height of pedestal - 1.14m; total height 1.895m
depicting a dancer in a close fitting full body costume with aquatic design, cold-painted in vibrant iridescent tones of Prussian blue and silver, the elongated stance adopted by the figure is on on tip-toe with both arms raised to a point above her head, mounted on a shaped onyx base with green onyx and Portor marble sections; together with a Verde Antico variegated marble pedestal
height of figure - 56cm; figure including base - 75.5cm; height of pedestal - 1.14m; total height 1.895m
Footnotes
Provenance;
From a private Swedish collection.
Literature;
Victor Arwas, Art Deco Sculpture: Chryselephantine Statuettes of the Twenties and Thirties, London, 1975, p. 24.
Bryan Catley, Art Deco and other Figures, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1978, p. 83.
Victor Arwas, Art Deco Sculpture, London, 1992, p. 54
Alberto Shayo, Chiparus: Master of Art Deco, New York, 1993, p. 49, pl. 83 and 152
Further information;
In 1911 the underwater kingdom scene of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera 'Sadko' in Paris was presented by the Ballets Russes. The hero of this opera is rescued by a sea princess. The underwater kingdom demonstrated possibilities for a new underwater exoticism to accompany the emerging sport of synchronised swimming. The sleek pose and crossed hands of 'Etoile de Mer' evoke her attempt to return to earth with Sadko.
The Starfish by Alberto Shayo;
If the Art Deco period evokes images of cultural and artistic transformation in an era of folly and hedonism, the Starfish dancer by Demetre Chiparus is the epitome of that glamorous era.
Few sculptures mirror the period with more exactitude. It was influenced by the music hall revues which were much in vogue at the time. Music hall was on the same level as opera in terms of public and revenues.
The dancer emerges from the depths of the sea with starfishes clinging to her leotard, a leotard known for its unique 'petroleum' colour patina which is present in this example. She stands on her toes, her arms raised and intertwined, not looking at her audience, she is far too sure of herself for that: she has become the femme fatale of the underworld.
Present in this example is a base created with a variety of onyxes and marble; the base can be considered a sculpture in itself, which together with the figure create one of the most iconic sculptures Chiparus ever created in his long and varied career.
The Starfish dancer was chosen to be on the back cover of the third and new edition of the 'Chiparus, Master of Art Deco' book.
Alberto Shayo
8th February 2017