Pair of French Sculpture Baskets of Flowers and Fruit by Fernand Cian

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FERNAND CIANCIANAINI called FERNAND CIAN
Italy/France, 1889-1954

A Pair of Terracotta Baskets of Flowers and Fruit

Terracotta over rouge marble … Read more FERNAND CIANCIANAINI called FERNAND CIAN
Italy/France, 1889-1954

A Pair of Terracotta Baskets of Flowers and Fruit

Terracotta over rouge marble | Signed to the fluting on each "Fernand Cian, Paris" and "F. CIAN Paris 1776" | circa early 20th century

Item # 405XZH22Q

A delightful pair of early 20th century floral bouquets by the Parisian sculptor Fernand Cian (French, 1886-1954), the cast terracotta features a wonderful impressionistic display of flowers, including many beautifully rendered roses, grapes and other fruits curling over the sides of the fluted basket raised on a gadrooned footer over a beautifully patinated rouge marble base.

Fernand Cian was born Fernando Ciancianaini in Carrara, Italy. He became known as a French sculptor and developed a strong reputation for his detailed bronze and terracotta works in the early 20th century. He studied in Paris under the luminary Laporte Blairsy as well as the titan of sculpture Alexandre Falguière and developed a style influenced by the Art Nouveau movement he worked within with a strong nod to the classical works of the eighteenth-century. He exhibited eleven times at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1907 to 1928 and received honorable mention in 1921.

Cian's sculptures are admired for their graceful lines and dynamic poses, often depicting mythological themes. These works were exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français between 1911 and 1928 and remain popular among collectors.

In addition to smaller sculptures, Cian contributed to public monuments and architectural projects. He lived for many years in Torbole on Lake Garda, where his terracotta figures still adorn the Church of the Madonna delle Vittorie and numerous public squares in the area.

His sculpture can be found in both the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where his terracotta Cupid was acquired with Museum funds in 1944 and remains in the permanent collection (acc. no. 1944-91-1), and in the Musée d'Orsay.


Measurements: 9 1/2" H x 5 1/8" diameter

Condition Report: Trace grime and discoloration; discolorations around the joint of the bouqet with the marble bases, particularly in the bonding material between the two. See less