λ Pierre Vaudrey (French, 1873-1951), a patinated bronze model of the grave monument to Robert Bain, the standing youth resting his hand on the head of the hound to his left side, flanked to his right by a plinth covered with ivy and inscribed ROBERT BAIN 1894 - 17 MAI 1904, the naturalistic rectangular section plinth cast with two military caps and with further inscription P. Vaudrey S.teur SALON 1905 to the foreground, on a moulded rectangular section rouge griotte plinth, 68cm high, 44cm wide, 32cm deep Robert Bain was the son of wealthy French merchant and inventor Auguste Bain, whose rise from humble beginnings to bourgeois society exemplifies the rise of the middle classes during the later 19th century. After Robert's tragic death from illness at age 14, his father embarked on an extensive campaign to commemorate his son. This included the creation of the avenue Robert-Bain in the village of Bois-Colombe on the outskirts of Paris, where the Villa Beausejour, the family residence, was situated.He also commissioned Pierre Vaudrey, a specialist funerary sculptor, to create his son's grave monument at Père-Lachaise. Vaudrey studied in his grandfather's masonry workshop and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon. After moving to Paris, he became a successful ornamental carver and monumental sculptor. Vaudrey was known for his ability to sculpt from photographs, and it is possible that this posthumous funerary sculpture was also created in this manner, as it strongly resembles existing photographic imagery of the young Robert Bain. The present lot is likely a maquette or exhibition model for the group that graces the family tomb. The work is recorded as number 3686 in the illustrated catalogue of the 1905 salon, as 'Vaudrey (P.), rue Merlin, 16. - Monument de R. B.' Vaudrey is also known to have exhibited a further bronze bust derived from the model at the Salon des Artistes in 1908 λ Indicates that this lot may be subject to Droit de Suite royalty charges. Please see our Terms & Conditions for more information.