About François Pompon Polar Bear - Miniature (1923-1933)
The nineteenth and early twentieth century French Sculptor and animalier François Pompon known for his simplistic animal sculptures. As it is evident in this François Pompon Polar Bear (1923-1933) resin reproduction of the original sculpture located at Musée d'Orsay, Pompon's animal sculptures are known for stylized the rendering of the animal by smoothing the body and eliminating all details from its representation, thus emphasizing the immobility of the animal’s pose. He produced numerous animal statues that were admired by many for both their formal beauty and inoffensive simplicity. François Pompon although mostly unknown during the course of his artistic career, upon his death in 1933, he left behind more than 300 works thus attesting to his prolific artistic career. Pompon made significant contributions to the progression of modern sculpture, the subtle and intricate character of his animal sculptures solidify him as one of the prominent figures in the realm of sculpture in modern art.
François Pompon was a French sculptor and animalier, most commonly recognized for his stylized animals. His career began as an apprentice marble carver in a funerary monument company. He soon after began studies in architecture, engraving, and sculpture. Pompon went on to study under the famous “animalier” Pierre Louis Rouillard at the École Nationale Supérieure Des Arts Décoratifs. Later on, he served as an assistant to Auguste Rodin.
After completing his service to Rodin, he learned as much as he could from various other artists about Sculpting. Eventually, he had a breakthrough in 1921 with his masterpiece, White Bear. White Bear (also known as “Polar Bear in Stride”), is a huge marble sculpture located at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. It is famous for the suggestions that come from the powerful image of the bear, such as its naturalistic weight and strength, to its slow, purposeful movements.
To this day, François Pompon is still considered an influential forerunner of modern sculpture, and his intricate renderings of natural life have charmed the hearts of millions. He has had profound effects on naturalistic sculpting and other areas of modern sculpture.
