Marnix d'Haveloose

MARNIX D'HAVELOOSE (Maldegem, Belgium, 1885 - Brussels, 1973).
"Ballerina".
Bronze patinated in black.
Signed.
With foundry stamp: Fonderie Nationale des Bronzes, ancienne firm J. Petermann, Saint-Gilles, Bruxelles.
Measurements: 74,5 cm high.

Female sculpture of elegant Art Deco stylization, marked by the ascending tension of the body and the grace of the movement. The dancer appears in a dynamic posture, with her arm raised, her head bent and her legs crossed, generating a composition of great verticality and plastic refinement. The black patina accentuates the continuity of the volumes and gives the figure a sober and sophisticated presence.

The work reflects Marnix d'Haveloose's interest in the body in movement, one of the most appreciated aspects of his production. The anatomy, treated with softness and rhythmic sense, combines naturalism and decorative synthesis, while the dancer's gesture introduces a note of restrained and theatrical sensuality. The quality of the casting, made by the Fonderie Nationale des Bronzes in Brussels, adds special technical and documentary value to the piece.

Marnix d'Haveloose was a Belgian sculptor trained at the Brussels Academy before the First World War. Awarded the Prix Goderlache for sculpture in 1910, he developed his career mainly in Brussels, where he was a professor at the Academy between 1935 and 1955 and director between 1951 and 1955. His work includes dancers, busts, memorials and funerary sculptures, especially notable for his female figures in movement.