Jean GEOFFROY (1853-1924) - Lot 97

Jean GEOFFROY (1853-1924) "Lioness Bronze with green patina, lost-wax casting by Susse Frères, a famous Parisian foundry. Signed "Jean Geoffroy" on the terrace. H_20 cm, W_ 22 cm, D_ 9 cm. Jean Geoffroy, also known by the pseudonym "Géo", was a French painter and illustrator whose career was marked by humanist and social commitment. Trained in Paris by renowned masters, he exhibited regularly at the Salon des artistes français, receiving several awards including a gold medal at the 1900 Universal Exhibition and the Légion d'honneur in 1885. His work is characterized by realistic painting, imbued with emotion and tenderness, notably through his famous depictions of children and difficult social conditions. Alongside his painting, he was a renowned illustrator, notably for young people, collaborating with the publisher Hetzel under the pseudonym "Géo". This piece, although attributed after the artist, is a fine example of French animal art of the period, combining naturalistic rigor and artistic elegance, and is a precious testimony to the expertise of the founders Susse Frères, undisputed masters in the art of bronze casting.