Rembrandt Bugatti (1884-1916)

Véronique Fromanger has confirmed the authenticity of this work.

Cerf bramant dates from 1905, around the time in which Bugatti had secured a contract with Adrien-Aurélien Hébrard to cast his works in bronze. Plaster examples of the same subject, Grand cerf bramant and Cerf à l'arrêt are held in the collection of the Musée d’Orsay and highlight Bugatti’s intuitive working of this medium at the time. Both are sensitive studies of the deer in different states of interaction that capture both their internal and emotional states as well as their physiognomy. It therefore comes as no surprise that in 1906 Marcel Horteloup proclaimed that Bugatti aspired to be a narrator of animal psychology as, on account of his deep understanding and new methodology in approaching animal sculpture, he established himself as one of the great sculptors of the 20th century as well as a leading force of the animalier movement.
Cerf bramant is an outstanding example of Bugatti’s more impressionistic approach during his successful beginnings in Paris. That being so, the sculpture is representative of the artist’s remarkable talent in creating elegantly streamlined forms that are confidently articulated through broad and sweeping gestures, providing a strong sense of movement. However, while Bugatti pays great attention to the formal properties of rhythm and balance, his careful observation of his subjects results in an understanding of not just their physical appearance but also their demeanor, their essence. As a result, we encounter the stag caught in a moment of everyday life; its neck extended at an angle, calling to another animal nearby.