Jean-Léon Gérôme, (French 1824 – 1904), la Joueuse de Boules, (the Ball Player), a gilt bronze model of a nude maiden

Jean-Léon Gérôme, (French 1824 - 1904), la Joueuse de Boules, (the Ball Player), a gilt bronze model of a nude maiden, portrayed standing and looking downwards over her left shoulder, with inset semi-precious stone eyes, a ball held in each of her hands; the oval base cast with three grotesque male masks, all with inset semi-precious stone eyes, two of them each with a ball in the open mouths, the third with mouth agape; inscribed J.L.GEROME and stamped for the founders SIOT-PARIS in the maquette;

Atop a shaped and waisted quatreform section striated onyx socle

The bronze 53cm high; the height overall 63cm

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES:

This model is apparently something of a rarity, and Gerome concentrated more on painting anyway, but similar models have appeared at auction. Cf:

Sotheby's London, 19th and 20th Century Sculpture, 14th December 2016, lot 92

Sotheby's New York, Collections: European Decorative Arts, 9th June 2017, lot 152

Condition Report: The bronze is in effectively excellent shape overall, bearing just the usual very minor knocks and scuffs in places consistent with its age.

The gilding is original and retains a bright hue.

The inset semi-precious eye stones are all in place.

There is dust and dirt to the recesses, but nothing that couldn't be gently cleaned.

Basically all good.