Auguste de Wever

AUGUSTE DE WEVER (Belgium, 1836 - 1910).
Vase with handles, 1902.
Silver plated metal.
Signed on the side of the base.
Weight: 4,800 g.
Measurements: 40 x 18 x 14 cm.

This vase is a clear example of what the Art Nouevau style meant. It is distinguished by the fluidity of the forms and the organic beauty of its decorations.

Although de Wever was a well-known sculptor who produced figures of great quality, very little is known about his life and career. De Wever was born in Belgium and most likely moved to Paris to develop his career. He began his career as a metalworker with Charles Wiener, learning the art of medallion making, and through his career as a medallist began designing sculptures according to the prevailing Parisian fashion of the time. He became famous for his romantic allegorical figures, opera characters and "genre" pieces. De Wever worked with the Compagnie des Bronzes foundry for most of his casts and his work is housed in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels.