Charles Despiau

CHARLES DESPIAU (Mont-de-Marsan, 1874 – Paris, 1946).
"Apollo," 1937.
Bronze.
Signed.
With foundry mark.
Exhibitions: “20th-Century European Sculpture,” European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, 2014.
Measurements: 120 x 40 x 24 cm.

Charles Despiau, who worked in Rodin’s studio, moved away from his master’s Expressionist drama to seek a more serene, balanced, and refined form. This “Apollo” from 1937 is a perfect example of his artistic maturity.

The figure depicts the Greek god Apollo in a humanized and restrained manner. Unlike Baroque or Romantic representations, Despiau opts for a firm yet gentle anatomy, with a face that conveys an introspective calm.

Charles Despiau became one of the most prominent French figures of the interwar period. He trained at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and in the studio of Louis-Ernest Barrias. Between 1907 and 1914, he also worked in Rodin’s prestigious studio, but the outbreak of World War I forced him to abandon work on a piece intended for a monument dedicated to the memory of Puvis de Chavannes, “The Genius of Eternal Rest,” which he had been commissioned to create by his teacher. During those years, he associated with a group of sculptors gathered around Lucien Schnegg, including Antoine Bourdelle, Robert Wlérick, Léon-Ernest Drivier, François Pompon, Louis Dejean, and Alfred Jean Halou. However, it was not until 1927, on the occasion of a major solo exhibition at the Brummer Gallery in New York, that Despiau achieved definitive success and recognition. Despiau’s works can be found in numerous private collections around the world. As for museums, his works can be found, in particular, at the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the City of Paris Museum of Modern Art, the Mont-de-Marsan Museum, as well as in numerous museums abroad, including the National Museum of Fine Arts in Algiers. Charles Despiau is now considered, alongside Aristide Maillol, one of the great innovators of the classical tradition in the 20th century, and pieces such as this “Apollo” are highly valued in public and private collections around the world.