Alfred Boucher was intrigued by the effect of representing soft skin against rough rock and repeatedly explored variations on this theme, as is showcased in this exquisite marble. The sculptor exhibited a relief of La Philosophie de l'Histoire at the Salon in 1898 and again at the Exposition Universelle of 1900. The girl looks sadly out over the rocks to the sea where a sail boat can just be seen carved in very low relief, departing towards the horizon. As with many of his compositions, Boucher varied and re-worked the model several t.mes s. Distinguished by its large size and elegantly narrow shape, the present marble compares closely to the version in the collects ion of the Musée Paul Dubois – A. Boucher in Nogent-sur-Seine. The figure was later adapted in bronze for the monument to Auguste Burdeau (1851-1894), a professor of philosophy and a French republican politician.

Alfred Boucher was the son of a farmhand and worked as a gardener for the sculptor Joseph-Marius Ramus. On discovering Boucher’s natural talent for sculpting, Ramus granted Boucher use of his studio. Boucher in turn would go on to encourage young promising sculptors and acted as mentor to Laure Coutan and Camille Claudel, as well as founding the studio, La Ruche, for young artists. He entered l’Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris in 1869, and studied under the artists Paul Dubois, Antoine Dumont and Marius Ramus. Boucher achieved great success when he exhibited his work at the Exposition Universelle and was awarded the Grand Prix in 1881 and 1900.


RELATED LITERATURE

J. Piette, Alfred Boucher 1850-1934 "sculpteur – humaniste", exh. cat. Musée Paul Dubois – Alfred Boucher, Nogent-sur-Seine, 2000, p. 55, no. 49