Aubert-Henri-Joseph PARENT (Cambrai, 1753 - Valenciennes,... Lot 16

Aubert-Henri-Joseph PARENT (Cambrai, 1753 - Valenciennes, 1835) The Hunt, trapped birds and an owl clutching a field mouse; Snake attacking a nest of birds, circa 1797 Pair of high medallion reliefs in limewood Incised signature in a cartouche under the base: "A Parent" for one. Signed and localized in graphite at the bottom: "A Parent Berlin" for the other. Diameter: 26.3 cm and 26.6 cm, in fruitwood and gilt bronze frames Exhibitions : - Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Mechanical Sciences of 1797, Berlin, n° 238 (for The Snake attacking a nest of birds) - Probably Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Mechanical Sciences of 1802, Berlin, part of n° 268-271. Related literature: Anne-Marie Kerneis, "Aubert Parent, une vie d'artiste," in Valentiana, no. 2, December 1988, pp. 58-67. During the Ancien Régime, members of the aristocracy were fond of this type of ornament with delicate naturalistic subjects, of which the talented self-taught sculptor Aubert Parent became one of the leading exponents. The daring Cambrian artist, trained in drawing by Antoine-François Saint-Aubert, was spotted early on for a bas-relief basket filled with flowers and a bird's nest that the representatives of the city of Valenciennes had chosen to offer to King Louis XVI in 1777. This blessed and appreciated gift opened the doors of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris and mainly the workshop of the famous Étienne-Pierre-Adrien Gois (1731-1823). After a happy beginning, he experienced some setbacks and disgraces that shortened his stay in Italy, dedicated to the study of the antiques, and led him to exile in Switzerland and Germany to escape the Revolution, whereas his return to Paris in 1785 had resulted in numerous commissions for ornaments. However, in these foreign countries, he gained a certain notoriety which offered him a place at the Berlin Academy in 1797. He then completed his career as a sculptor with that of an architect and archaeologist before returning to his Flemish ties. In 1813, he settled permanently in his native town and became a professor at the Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Valenciennes. His European peregrinations allowed him to "sow" his highly technical panels, a large number of which are now preserved in the most famous international museums (Aubert-Henri-Joseph Parent, Carved panel with a vase of flowers, 1789, limewood, signed, dim. 69.5 x 47.9 x 6 cm, J. Paul Getty museum, n° inv 84.SD.76).