A LARGE FRENCH CARVED WOOD GROUP ENTITLED 'POULE SURPRISE PAR UN CHAT ET DEFENDANT SES PETITS' (HEN DEFENDING HER CHICKS FROM A CAT)

Born in 1828 in Boissy (Seine-et-Oise), Denis-Désiré Guéret was a student of Fourdinois and a frequent exhibitor in the Paris Salons between 1853 and 1863. As a skilled wood sculptor, the artist exhibited intricately carved works incorporating dynamic animal interactions, the present lot being an excellent example of his level of mastery in this subject. In addition to Poule surprise par un chat exhibited in 1857, the artist also entered a similar work entitled Un combat des coqs in the 1863 Salon.