Lot 13 Dα

The cast and sale of the beautiful Maillol nude “Frau, ihr Haar ordnend” are intimately linked with the renowned art dealer Ambroise Vollard (1866–1939). In 1902 Edouard Vuillard drew Vollard’s attention to the sculptural works of the painter Aristide Maillol, who later primarily worked as a sculptor. That same year, Vollard organised an initial important exhibition for him in his gallery. From that moment, Vollard became the sculptor’s early mentor and friend, encouraging him to also have the terracottas cast in bronze. As it would turn out, this was just an initiative to support the sculptor financially and make his work better known. As Ursel Berger writes in her expert report, the statuette offered here was among the sculptures Maillol sold to Vollard around 1905. In the contract between the sculptor and art dealer signed in 1905, it is – with the greatest likelihood – listed as “femme les deux mains aux cheveaux” and – as with the other statues – the right to produce editions is also transferred: “avec le droit d’édition et de reproduction”. The largely preserved commercial papers of the Galerie Vollard, the “Fonds Vollard”, indicate that he had his bronzes cast in the renowned Parisian foundry of Florentin Godard during the period from 1909 until into the 1930s (Expert report of Ursel Berger, Berlin, 22 October 2017).
The “Baigneuse se coiffant” from the edition of Vollard is part of a series of early statuettes by Maillol which were in great demand among his contemporary collectors. In her pose featuring her hands binding her hair, it is also recalls numerous nudes viewed from behind by Edgar Degas.