Marcel Bouraine & Gabriel Argy-Rousseau "Femme papillon" Pâte de cristal Figurine
Regular price
$45,000
This exquisite Butterfly Woman (Femme Papillon) pâte de cristal statuette is a masterful collaboration between renowned Art Deco sculptor Marcel Bouraine and Gabriel Argy-Rousseau. The butterfly wings are rendered in rich shades of Prussian blue and sage green, with intricate patterns inspired by swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae). These designs feature striped median bands and heart-shaped eye spots, evoking the natural elegance of these creatures. The piece draws further inspiration from Loïe Fuller’s iconic dance Le Papillon, performed at the Folies Bergère. Fuller’s performance included the ballet movement cambré derrière, in which the dancer bends the upper body and head backward in a graceful arch while remaining on pointe. This statuette beautifully captures the ethereal essence of Fuller’s artistry, celebrating her legacy as both a muse and a pioneer of modern dance.
Item #: YP-21699
Artist: Gabriel Argy-Rousseau
Country: France
Circa: 1928
Dimensions: 10.125" height, 5.625" width, 3.75" depth.
Materials: Pâte de verre Glass
Signed: in the mold PÂTE DE CRISTAL/D'ARGY-ROUSSEAU and Bouraine and numbered 5
Literature: A similar piece is pictured in: G. Argy Rousseau: Glassware as Art, by Janine Bloch-Dermant, London: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1991, cat. no. 28.17.
Arwas, Victor. 1992. Art deco sculpture. London: Academy Editions. page 25
Item #: YP-21699
Artist: Gabriel Argy-Rousseau
Country: France
Circa: 1928
Dimensions: 10.125" height, 5.625" width, 3.75" depth.
Materials: Pâte de verre Glass
Signed: in the mold PÂTE DE CRISTAL/D'ARGY-ROUSSEAU and Bouraine and numbered 5
Literature: A similar piece is pictured in: G. Argy Rousseau: Glassware as Art, by Janine Bloch-Dermant, London: Thames and Hudson, Ltd., 1991, cat. no. 28.17.
Arwas, Victor. 1992. Art deco sculpture. London: Academy Editions. page 25
Loïe Fuller’s Danse du Papillon gained fame in her 1891 play Quack M.D., where she portrayed Imogene Twitter, a widow hypnotized by the enigmatic Doctor Quack. During her performance, Fuller flitted across the stage like a winged spirit, captivating her audience. Some spectators, enchanted by her movements, cried out, “Papillon, Papillon,” coining the name of the dance.
In La Vie à Paris (1908), Jules Claretie vividly describes her performance:
“Her movements, wrapped in white Indian muslin—first golden, then suddenly shimmering with the hues of the solar spectrum under electric light—violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red… She was like a kind of living, shifting rainbow, which the performer wound and unwound around herself… An inspiration to poets, painters, sculptors, and even fabric merchants, she embodied a new aesthetic.”
Loïe Fuller’s Danse du Papillon gained fame in her 1891 play Quack M.D., where she portrayed Imogene Twitter, a widow hypnotized by the enigmatic Doctor Quack. During her performance, Fuller flitted across the stage like a winged spirit, captivating her audience. Some spectators, enchanted by her movements, cried out, “Papillon, Papillon,” coining the name of the dance.
In La Vie à Paris (1908), Jules Claretie vividly describes her performance:
“Her movements, wrapped in white Indian muslin—first golden, then suddenly shimmering with the hues of the solar spectrum under electric light—violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red… She was like a kind of living, shifting rainbow, which the performer wound and unwound around herself… An inspiration to poets, painters, sculptors, and even fabric merchants, she embodied a new aesthetic.”
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