LOT 22 ◊

A 'L'Air' superb aviation illuminated desk-piece after August Moreau, French, circa 1910,

Estimate: £8,000 - £12,000

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Lot 22^◊

A 'L'Air' superb aviation illuminated desk-piece after August Moreau, French, circa 1910,

Goodwood Members' Meeting|14 April 2024, 11:00 BST|Chichester, Goodwood

A 'L'Air' superb aviation illuminated desk-piece after August Moreau, French, circa 1910,

signed, bronzed and patinated pewter figure depicts a draped nude lady in the art nouveau style, holding aloft a flaming torch, arising from the flame appears a representation of a Louis Bleriot Monoplane XI aeroplane made of solid bronze, the figure standing on a winged platform above a marble base applied with a plaque marked 'l'Air la science domine l'univers par Augusto Moreau (Medaille D'or)', (plaque is loose). The aeroplane measures 32cm long with 32cm wingspan and is a superb and detailed representation of the Monoplane in which Louis Bleriot made his historic and memorable flight over the Channel from France to England in 1909. Below the wings there are two bulb carriers, enabling the aeroplane to be illuminated. 81cm high overall.

Footnotes

August Moreau (1834-1917) was born in Dijon, Paris 1834. He went to the French school with A. Millet', A. Dumont and Thomas Alumn, where he studied under Mathurin Moreau. His debut was in the Paris show room with French artists and the Societaire de Groupment Artistique, where his work was well received and won several exhibition medals in the 1880s and 90s. His sculpture work was awarded gold medals in America and Brazil in 1889 and a bronze in Paris in 1900. His works of art are displayed in the most important museums of the world.

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