Antoni Bofill

ANTONI BOFILL (Barcelona, 1875 - 1939).
Pitcher "caracola".
Silver-plated pewter.
Signed on the back.
Weight: 3300 g.
Measurements: 39 x 22 x 13 cm.

Pitcher Art Nouveau period of silver-plated pewter, in the shape of a conch, decorated in relief with a nymph on one side that leans on the top of the pitcher as a handle, and rests his feet on some reed leaves with plant ornaments around it.

Bofill trained at the Escuela de Lonja in Barcelona before settling permanently in Paris. There he developed a successful, though mostly commercial, career producing bronze figures (realistic, orientalist, animals and allegories) for decorative objects such as clocks, bibelots and bookends. His style evolved from Art Nouveau to an aesthetic close to Art Deco, and he won an honorable mention at the prestigious 1902 Salon des Artistes Français. Although his work is little known in purely artistic circles, his focus on mass production ensures a notable presence of his pieces in the world market for decorative elements. Bofill is often remembered for the influence he exerted on the training of his assistant and friend, fellow sculptor Manolo Hugué.