Jaume Otero

JAUME OTERO I CAMPS (Mahon, 1888 - Barcelona, 1945).
"Bacchus", 1930.
Bronze.
Signed Otero on the base. Foundry mark of A.A. Hébrard, Cire Perdue.
Measurements: 110 x 38 x 18 cm.
Exhibitions: MEAM "A century of Catalan sculpture", 2013. Reproduced in the catalog, p. 138. MEAM "Somnis i tentacions. La escultura catalana en temps del Modernisme", 2025. Reproduced in the catalog, p. 141.

Magnificent bronze sculpture representing the god Bacchus, young, naked and erect in an attitude of vital triumph and celebration. The figure, of stylized canon and refined anatomy, raises his arms above his head holding a bunch of grapes, classic symbol of wine, fertility and the joy of living. The bronze has a dark and uniform patina that enhances the volumes, highlighting the tension of the torso, the structural elegance of the limbs and the harmonious verticality of the composition. The ascending gesture lends dynamism and energy to the piece, evoking an ideal of classical beauty reinterpreted from a modern sensibility.

Jaume Otero I Camps was one of the leading Catalan sculptors of the 20th century. He studied in Barcelona, Paris and Brussels and spent time in several countries to perfect his training, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy. His elegant modernist works are heavily influenced by his international travels and, in particular, by French Art Deco. Otero was also influenced by Albert Bartholomé, with whom he worked in Paris from 1911 to 1914. Her works often tend toward stylization, seeking to accentuate the femininity of her figures. Another characteristic of his work is the decoration, which is manifested in the careful work done in the details, such as fabrics and reliefs, and that brings it close to art deco.
Otero's most famous work is the monumental fountain in the Plaza de Cataluña, in the center of Barcelona, where he made several sculptures in the public art ensemble located in the square, on the occasion of the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition.
The Hébrard foundry was founded by Adrien-Aurélien Hébrard in 1902. The workshop was located at number 73 Avenue de Versailles in Paris and the gallery at number 8 Rue Royale. Bronze aficionados appreciate Hébrard for his quality and the subtlety of platinum. Hébrard collaborated with the greatest sculptors of the 19th century, including Edgar Degas, Joseph Bernard, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux and Jules Dalou. The workshop closed on the death of its founder in 1934.