Affortunato Gory

AFFORTUNATO GORY (Italy, active 1895–1925).
“The Dancer.”
Carrara marble with gilded bronze accents. Portoro marble base.
Signed “Gory.”
Measurements: 52 x 16.5 x 24.5 cm.
“The Dancer” is a sculpture created by Affortunato Gory, one of the leading figures in Art Deco decorative sculpture. Crafted in white Carrara marble with gilded bronze accents, the work reflects the taste for elegance, dynamism, and refinement that defined this artistic movement during the 1920s and 1930s.The female figure is immortalized in a moment of delicate movement, with a pose of great lightness that conveys rhythm and harmony. She wears an elaborate outfit and sports a characteristic short hairstyle adorned with small flowers—features typical of the feminine aesthetic of the “Roaring Twenties” that evoke the sophistication of the great music-hall stars, including Joséphine Baker, who became one of the great icons of Parisian modernity.The skillful combination of white Carrara marble with gilded bronze details reflects one of the most characteristic hallmarks of Art Deco sculpture, in which the contrast between the two materials enriches the composition and accentuates its decorative character. Carrara marble, prized since the Renaissance for its extraordinary quality and purity, also allows for highly subtle modeling, evident in the delicate rendering of the anatomy, the folds of the dress, and the figure’s expression. Due to the quality of its execution and the balance of its forms, *La Bailarina* stands as an excellent example of Affortunato Gory’s work and of Art Deco sculpture, successfully combining technical virtuosity with the elegance and cosmopolitan spirit that characterized this style.Affortunato Gory, whose real name was Fortunato Gory, was an Italian sculptor active between 1895 and 1925. Born in Florence, he studied sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti under the guidance of Augustus Rivalta. Like many Italian artists of his generation, he moved to Paris in the early 20th century to pursue his artistic career there, proudly signing his works “A. Gory Paris.”

Known for his elegant dancing female figures, often inspired by Orientalism, Gory worked with a wide variety of materials, including different types of marble, gilded and patinated bronze, and ivory. Among his most representative sculptures are *The Arab Warrior* (P. Kjellberg), the more classical *Arab Dancer*, *Ritual Fire Dance* (H. Berman), and *Dancer with Balls* (Bryan Catley). Beginning in 1902, he exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français, where he made his debut with a female bust made of bronze and marble, continuing to participate until 1923. The mastery with which he combined bronze, marble, alabaster, and ivory in his female sculptures reflects the recognition and influence he achieved in Paris during the Art Deco era.