Arthur Dupagne (Belgium, 1895-1961) Exultation Bronze

Description

Extraordinarily powerful, and very rare, this large bronze sculpture of a nude male figure by Arthur Dupagne shows him stretching … more Extraordinarily powerful, and very rare, this large bronze sculpture of a nude male figure by Arthur Dupagne shows him stretching and straining upwards, his head rolled back and shouting in exultation. It was cast in 1944, when the Nazis were being driven from Belgium, so the artist probably sculpted this figure to capture the joy his countrymen felt when their nation was liberated from German rule, and from the horrors of World War II. The figure is strong and muscled, so Dupagne clearly wanted to show his nation as powerful and resurgent in its moment of newly-won freedom. Dupagne is largely known for a series of powerful bronzes depicting African men and women, drawn from his experience in Belgium's colonies in Africa. The bronze is signed and dated "1944." less