Edmond Desca

EDMOND DESCA (Hautes-Pyrénées, France, 1855- Paris, 1918).
"Bust of an African". Study for the stone sculpture "The Death of the Lion" (1913) for the park of Montsouris.
Bronze with black patina.
Stamp of the foundry C. Valsuani cire perdue.
Measurements: 36 x 20 x 20 x 20 cm; 8 x 15,5 x 15,5 cm (base).

"Bust of African" belongs to the preparatory study of the sculptural ensemble "The death of the lion", one of the most relevant works of Edmond Desca. The sculpture represents an intense fight scene in which a hunter subdues or mortally wounds a lion in the middle of a struggle. This bust stands out for the meticulous treatment of the features: the forehead furrowed with wrinkles reveals the tension of the moment, while the serenity of the face conveys a sense of calm and concentration before the dramatic scene.

Edmond Desca was a French sculptor trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the direction of François Jouffroy. He exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français between 1879 and 1914, where he won several distinctions, including medals at the Universal Exhibitions of 1889 and 1900, and was made a knight of the Legion of Honor in 1899. His work, linked to the academic style and the monumental taste of the Third Republic, includes sculptures and public monuments such as L'Ouragan, La Mort du lion, the monument to Berlioz in Montbrison and various memorials commemorating the war of 1870-1871 in various French cities. Several towns, including Tarbes and Vic-en-Bigorre, have dedicated streets named after him in recognition of his artistic career.