Beschreibung:

Property of a Private European CollectorJean Dunand"Serpent" Vase
circa 1907patinated bronze applied with martelé finishimpressed JEAN DUNAND6¼ in. (15.8 cm) highCondition reportOverall in very good condition. The patinated bronze presents with surface irregularities which are inherent to production and enhance the highly textured martelé finish. The largest circumference with two slightly flatter areas, possibly indentations or inherent to the making, the largest measuring approximately 1 1/4 x 1/2 in. and not visually distracting. The rim of the vase mimics the irregular finish of a ceramic with uneven edges and indentations inherent to production. The patinated bronze presents with extremely faint scattered scratches, minor abrasions and areas of rubbing to the patina consistent with age and gentle handling. The interior with light surface soiling. An exquisite early work with sculptural presence by Jean Dunand
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenanceDeLorenzo Gallery, New York
Steven A. Greenberg, New York
Christie's New York, The Steven A. Greenberg Collection: Masterpieces of French Art Deco, December 13, 2012, lot 72
Sinai and Sons, Ltd., London
Private Collection, 2015
Acquired from the above by the present ownerLiteratureJean Dunand, exh. cat., DeLorenzo Gallery, New York, 1985, p. 129 (for the present lot illustrated)
Félix Marcilhac, Jean Dunand His Life and Works, New York, 1991, p. 135, pl. 143 and p. 294, cat. no. 876 (for the present lot illustrated)
Jean Dunand, Jean Goulden exh. cat., Kelly Gallery, New York, 2013, p. 31 (for the present lot illustrated)
Fantastique, exh. cat., Sinai and Sons, London, 2015, p. 13, fig. 9 (for the present lot illustrated)
Félix Marcilhac and Amélie Marcilhac, Jean Dunand Paris, 2021, p. 330, no. 9 (for the present lot illustrated)ExhibitedJean Dunand, DeLorenzo Gallery, New York, May 9-June 8, 1985
Jean Dunand, Jean Goulden Kelly Gallery, New York, June 12-September 6, 2013
Fantastique – I’m Going Slight Mad, Sinai and Sons, Masterpiece, London, June 25-July 1, 2015Catalogue noteThe present “Serpent” Vase is an extraordinary example of Jean Dunand’s artistry in bronze and a chef-d’œuvre of Art Deco metalsmithing. Born in Lancy, Switzerland in 1877, Dunand’s prolific career spanned a wide range of media including drawing, sculpture, furniture design, lacquer work and more, but perhaps none is more celebrated than his metalwork. After training at Geneva’s School of Industrial Arts, Dunand moved to Paris at the turn of the century where he worked with French sculptor Jean Dampt. Alongside this work, he maintained regular contact with a coppersmith in his home country named Danhauer, who introduced him to the craft of hammering metal. In 1905 Dunand exhibited his first group of dinanderie, vases deftly hammered from a single sheet of metal. The technique took its name from the Flemish town of Dinant, which was well known for its brassware production since the Middle Ages, and required a deep comprehension of each metal and its individual properties. 
Executed circa 1907, the “Serpent” vase belongs to this early period of Dunand’s career in which the designer made a name for himself with his dinanderie and mastered the processes of metalworking. Composed of patinated bronze, the vase features a hammered martelé ground and irregular rim, underscoring the handmade nature of the work and evoking the texture and delicacy of a fired ceramic. The vase is further decorated with a serpent which sinuously wraps itself around the shoulder and neck of the vase. The intense naturalism achieved by Dunand demonstrates how his initial training in sculpture translated into his designs. This is likely one of the first serpent models Dunand created; the serpent would become a frequent motif in his work, appearing again on other lacquered vases as well as standalone sculptures. Another vase by Dunand exhibited in 1913 and later owned by Madame Hélène Rochas is the only other known example in which the snake is positioned with its mouth open and tongue extended as it is on the present lot. A later lacquered vase designed in 1925 and once belonging to Jeanne-Marie Lanvin features a bronze snake with its mouth closed but similarly coiled around its curves, indicating that the present example may have been a study or early experimentation with the form. Beyond this history in the scope of Dunand's oeuvre, the vase is further distinguished by its provenance, hailing from the Art Deco collection of entrepreneur Steven A. Greenberg.