Lot 128: JESÚS FRUCTUOSO CONTRERAS MEXICAN, 1866-1902 L'ÉVEIL (THE AWAKENING)

signed: J. CONTRERAS - PARIS

white marble

CATALOGUE NOTE

Jésus Fructuoso Contreras was born in Aguascalientes and studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico before moving to Paris. He won a medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1889 and a grand prix in 1900. He was a pupil of Manuel Noreña and executed many monuments and portrait busts for his native Mexico. Discussing Contreras' work in 1921 Kineton Parkes observed: 'His work has Canova-like qualities, which render it unlike most modern sculpture on the American continent'. This comment is certainly well illustrated by the present example of L'Éveil.

73.5cm., 29in.