Albert Hambresin

ALBERT HAMBRESIN (Willebroek, Belgium, 1850 - 1907)
"Bust of oriental woman", ca. 1885-1900.
Patinated bronze.
Signed.
With foundry stamp: Fonderie Nationale des Bronzes, Bruxelles.
Work reproduced in Engelen-Marx, "La Sculpture en Belgique à partir de 1830", volume III, p. 1807.
Measurements: 68 cm high.

Female bust in patinated bronze representing a young woman with idealized features, wearing a veil and a decorated sash. The figure is inscribed in the orientalist taste of the end of the XIX century, combining a serene and contained expression with a meticulous treatment of the folds, the hair and the ornamental elements. The modeling alternates polished surfaces on the face and neck with areas of greater texture in the headdress and dress, generating a careful plastic contrast.

Albert Hambresin was a Belgian sculptor active in the second half of the 19th century, author of busts and allegorical images. In his beginnings he dealt with themes linked to social realism, such as De Nettenboeter (1875) and The Young Fisherman (1877), before developing a broader production of academic and decorative character. He participated in prominent international competitions, including the Belgian Exhibition of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia in 1882, the international exhibitions of Amsterdam in 1883 and Nice in 1884, and the Antwerp Universal Exhibition of 1894, where he presented works such as Charles V, King of the Brussels Crossbowmen and Judith. He was a member of the Brussels artistic association L'Essor from 1883.