Maurice Guiraud-Rivière

MAURICE GUIRAUD-RIVIÈRE (France, 1881-1947).
"Tennis player".
Patinated bronze and marble.
Signed.
Measurements: 46 x 50 x 26 cm.

The sculpture "Tennis Player" is a magnificent example of the close relationship between art and sport in the early twentieth century, while demonstrating the extraordinary technique of Maurice Guiraud-Rivière, a prominent sculptor of the Art Deco movement, famous for his athletic, dynamic and elegant figures, such as the one we now present at auction.

Giraud-Rivière made sculptures of tennis players because tennis was one of the most emblematic sports of the European elites of the time. At the beginning of the 20th century, disciplines such as tennis, golf, skiing or motor racing represented a new ideal of elegant, active and cosmopolitan life. Art Deco artists found in these subjects a perfect way to express movement, balance and formal refinement. In his sculptures of tennis players, Giraud-Rivière combines stylized anatomies, flowing lines and athletic poses that capture the grace of the athletic gesture rather than the physical exertion. These works not only celebrated sport, but also the modern image of the body and distinguished leisure that fascinated French society at the time.

Maurice Guiraud-Rivière was a sculptor of the Art Deco movement, well known for his athletic and elegant figures in bronze; among his most famous works he made sculptures of boxers and athletes, including representations of the champion Georges Carpentier and other pieces inspired by the Olympic world, characterized by physical strength, dynamism and refined lines typical of the Art Deco style. The sculpture we are now bidding for is a clear example of his prolific production.

He made numerous sculptures inspired by sports such as tennis, golf or skiing, themes that symbolized the sophisticated leisure and modern life of the European bourgeoisie between the wars. Today his pieces are highly valued in 20th century French decorative art.