Jean Gautherin (1840-1890) Bronze sculpture The Reaper Casting Colin XIX

Jean Gautherin (1840-1890) Bronze sculpture. The Reaper. The statue represents a young peasant with bare feet, wearing a straw hat, captured in a moment of agricultural daily life: he is using a sharpening stone to hone the blade of his scythe. Hanging from his belt is his sharpening stone case. Signed on the terrace. Cast by Emile Colin, around 1890. Height: 34cm. Very good condition. *Jean Gautherin, born on December 28, 1840, in Ouroux-en-Morvan (Nièvre) and died on July 21, 1890, in Paris, was a realistic and academic French sculptor of the late 19th century. 1. From peasant origins to Parisian recognition. Son of modest farmers from Morvan, Jean Gautherin spent his childhood working the land. His early talent for modeling was noticed locally, allowing him to obtain a scholarship to study in Paris. He entered the École des Beaux-Arts where he became a student of prestigious masters such as Charles Gumery, Auguste Dumont, and Paul Dubois. 2. Official success and public commissions. He debuted at the Salon in 1865. Quickly, his style, which combines academic rigor with great human sensitivity, brought him official recognition: He received numerous awards, including medals at the Salons and the 1889 Exposition Universelle. He was named a knight of the Legion of Honor in 1878. The State and the city of Paris entrusted him with major public monument commissions. He is notably responsible for the bronze statue of Diderot (boulevard Saint-Germain), the monument to Sainte Geneviève (in the Luxembourg Garden), and the figures of La Ville de Paris and Le Travail for the City Hall of Paris. 3. The bard of the rural world. Alongside his grand allegories, Gautherin remained deeply attached to his Burgundian roots. He created a series of small bronze sculptures celebrating the nobility and courage of the peasant world, including The Reaper and its counterpart The Sower.