Lot 248: GOUNOD, CHARLES FRANÇOIS (1818-1893, French composer)

PORTRAIT BY JEAN RINGEL D'ILLZACH (1847-1916),
cast bronze uniface medallion, profile in high relief facing left, palm frond above and laurel branch to the right of the field, signed and dated 'Ringel d'Illzach sc 1886' and inscribed partly in a scroll 'Charles Gounod Faust Romeo Redemption ne a Paris 27 Iuin MDCCCXVIII',7 in (17.8 cm) diameter, good colour and patination, extremely fine, 27 June 1886

In The Art of the Medal, Mark Jones notes that Ringel d'Illzach, an Alsatian medallist, produced his own version of the David d'Angers gallery of contemporary portraits, particularly of musicians, in the 1880s and 1890s. The similarities between his work and that of David d'Angers are commented on by Forrer (see under Ringel).

PROVENANCE: Paul Niggl Collection.

REFERENCE: Niggl 737.