Beschreibung:

Sculpture - Bronze - Brown patina - Sig. - 91 x 53 x 52 cm
Exhibition "Vème Salon des Indépendants" Brussels 1908 (a plaster copy) "18ème Salon" La Libre Esthétique, Brussels 1911, cf. nr. 258 "Catalogue of an Exhibition of Works by Modern Belgian Artists" The Royal Academy of Arts, London 1915 "7 Belgische schilders" Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam 1916 "Exposition de l'art belge ancien et moderne" Musée des Beaux-Arts & Kunsthalle, Bern 1926 "Honderdjarige tentoonstelling van de Belgische Kunst" Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels 1930 "Rik Wouters" Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels 1935 "Rik Wouters, 1882-1916" Museum Boymans, Rotterdam en Gemeentemuseum, The Hague 1946 "Rik Wouters. Beeldhouwwerken en schetsen" MSK, Ghent 1947 "XXVIIIe Biënnale van Venetië" Venice 1956 "Rik Wouters" Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris 1957 Literature "Rik Wouters" Roger Avermaete, Uitgeverij Arcade, Brussels 1962, p. 213 (mention of this copy a.o.) "Rik Wouters" catalogus retrospectieve PMMK Ostend & Museum Van Bommel Van Dam, Venlo 1994-1995, Pandora 1994, cf. nr. 6-1 ill. "Rik Wouters. Visies op een levensloop" Olivier Bertrand, Brussels 2000, cf. p. 179 ill. "Rik Wouters. Bronnen en werken" Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels 2002, exhibition cat., nr. 45 (ill. of this copy) "Rik Wouters. Retrospectieve" Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, Somogy Éditions d'Art, Paris 2017, cf. nr. 174, p. 226 ill. This copy will be included in the catalogue raisonné by Rik Wouters in preparation by Olivier Bertrand Provenance acquired directly by the father of the previous owner from Nel Wouters, the artist's widow IN SEARCH FOR LIGHT AND VOLUME In 1908 Rik Wouters models his first ‘dressed' female sculpture and calls it "Attitude", his beloved wife Nel being his muse again. It is one of his impressionist sculptures revealing the artist's rebellion against the smooth and cool nudes of the idealistic salons. Through "Attitude", Wouters does artistic research into spatiality, liberty of movement and construction of form. The bent torso and the sideways looking head suggest a delicate and graceful spiral movement. The slightly bent head guides the viewer through her arm on the back towards the hand elegantly holding her skirt, which then blows into a pleated play. The light dances on the irregular surface and reflects on the different facets of the female figure so the sculpture seems to shine. Despite its volatility, this "Attitude" is very voluminous and architectural, draped by the folds of the dress.