Drouot, Edouard (1859-1945), The Gallic warlord Vercingetorix, 1915
Edouard Drouot(1859 Sommevoire - 1945 Paris), The Gallic warlord Vercingetorix , 1915. Green and brown patinated bronze on a cast naturalistic plinth, 43 cm (height) x 15 cm (width) x 18 cm (depth), weight 5.1 kg. Signed “E.[douard] Drouot” and dated “[19)15” (?) on the plinth.
- Slightly rubbed in places, overall in excellent condition for its age
- The will to freedom -
After antiquity had been regarded as exemplary from the Renaissance until the 18th century, the Enlightenment uncovered the roots of Europe's own history, which in the 19th century led to the veneration of the rediscovered heroes of early history. In Germany, this was above all Hermann the Cheruscan. He had defeated the Roman legions at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD) and was already described by Tacitus as the "liberator of Germania". In France, Vercingetorix was especially revered for uniting the Gallic tribes to preserve their independence during the Gallic War led by Caesar in 52 AD. Vercingetorix was thus also a symbol of national unity after France had experienced the trauma of a bloody civil war with the French Revolution and the overcoming of internal differences against the backdrop of the First World War became topical once again.
The "new" heroes replaced the heroes and gods of antiquity, which had dominated until the 18th century. This posed the artistic problem that, in order to emphasize their uniqueness, the "new" heroes had to be depicted differently from the "old" ones, which Edouard Drouot solved in an impressive manner. Although his Vercingetorix refers to the ancient contrapposto of the classical figure, he transforms the standing leg position into a determined stride. However, the torsion of the upper body, the arm held back with the heavy battle-axe, and the hand of the other arm also reaching back for the sword do not create the impression of a forward stride; rather, Drouot creates an intrinsically moving standing motif of determination. The indomitable will is particularly expressed in the imaginary clenched fist already holding the sword, and culminates in the upward gaze towards the higher goals for which Vercingetorix raises the axe.
The virtuoso torsion invites us to look at the figure from every angle, and Vercingetorix seems to move and to put his determination into action when we walk around the statue. The details of the clothing and armor have been worked out with enormous sharpness without detracting from the overall impression. The figure is further enhanced by its various greenish and brownish patinas. The patina is underlaid with a gold color that is still visible under the base, giving a special inner shimmer and remaining visible to illustrate the golden rivets of the belt.
With his Vercingetorix, Edouard Drouot creates a national identification figure, which he varies in several forms.
About the artist
Edouard Drouot studied in Paris from 1880, first at the École des Arts décoratifs and from 1884 at the École des Beaux-Arts. There he studied under the sculptors Émile Thomas and Mathurin Moreau, the youngest member of the Moreau family of sculptors. In 1889, he made his debut with the statue "Salut Printemps!" at the Salon des Artistes Français, the annual art exhibition of the Société des Artistes Français, where he was represented until 1925. In 1892, he presented his work "L'Amateur", which won a prize at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. He worked in terracotta, marble and bronze and was also active as a painter. His subjects were varied and Drouot was also a popular portraitist. Study trips to India and North Africa further broadened his range of artistic subjects.