Lot 549: Daniel Chester French (American, 1850-1931), Plaster Bas Relief of Muses, c. 1910, Inscribed "To/Mrs. Henry Warwick/Compliments of/Dani

Daniel Chester French (American, 1850-1931)

Plaster Bas Relief of Muses, c. 1910
Inscribed "To/Mrs. Henry Warwick/Compliments of/Daniel C. French/Jan. 22./1910." in
ink l.r.
Plaster bas-relief, maximum dimensions 12 1/4 x 15 1/4 x 3/4 in. (31.0 x 38.5 x 2.0 cm), with a wire for hanging embedded on the reverse.
Condition: Chip/notch at top center edge, minor surface scratches, surface grime and accretions.

N.B. This plaster of two classical female figures with stringed instruments led by a cherub conductor came from the collection of art and furnishings of Arden Cottage, a summer home built in the late 19th century in Fortune, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Known colloquially as "The Three Graces," the relief was dedicated as a gift from the artist to Elsa Warwick, said to have been the model for this piece and several of French's other sculptures, as well as for the illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. The inscription on the plaster appears to be in French's own hand. New Yorkers, Elsa and her husband, the actor Harry Warwick, were residents of the artists' colony established in Fortune at the turn of the century. Arden Cottage and its contents, including memorabilia from the original owners (Charles Kent and Betty Barry), were purchased in 1971 from Margaret MacMillan Pratt by the current owners. A letter and a photocopy of a brief printed reminiscence about Arden Cottage accompany the lot.

There is a plaster relief of the same image and of similar dimensions in the casting room at Chesterwood, the home of Daniel Chester French in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

We would like to thank the staff at Chesterwood for their kind assistance cataloging this lot.