André-Vincent Becquerel (1893-1981) A stylised Hare car mascot

About this piece

A stylized bronze hare by André Vincent Becquerel, which he designed for Etling Paris in 1928, the hare was intended as a car mascot.

A car mascot or 'bouchon de radiator' was actually nothing more than the cap of a radiator. It was precisely at that time that it was fashionable to make it a personal mascot. Many sculptors were asked to design one or more, sometimes a large work was cast in miniature, René Lalique made beautiful specimens in glass, which were later banned because it proved too dangerous in case of accidents, but they were still used and in the 1920s and 30s a lot of beautiful works of art drove around on cars.
Later the individual car mascot disappeared and the car brands incorporated their own emblem in the updated modern cars.

Becquerel has created several animals as car mascots in this style, including a cat, a duck and a dachshund. They are inspired by Lewis Carol's book "Alice in Wonderland". They are now highly sought after.
This hare with its exaggeratedly long ears and bulging eyes has something humorous and is very lively.

The hare is cast in bronze and has a beautiful natural patina that you only get with age, by touch. It could very well be that this hare was displayed on the front of a car as a car mascot. Maybe this hare has already seen a lot of Paris or the beautiful French countryside, we will never know. But it is certainly a beautiful authentic example. It is not signed.

Biography:
André Vincent Becquerel (Saint-André-Farivilliers 1893-Parijs 1981) was a pupil of Hector Lemaire and the animal sculptor Prosper Lecourtier.
Becquerel often works in the Jardin des Plantes to study the animals and to make sketches of them. He specialised himself in the animal sculptures (animalism) especially predators and cats are his favourite subjects.

Between 1914-1922 hij regularly took part at the Salon des Artistes Française. His style of working, the Naturalism, became more and more stylised under the influence of the modern movement like the Art Deco and the Modernism. He made also some ceramics for Marcel Guillard, also edited and sold by Etling. His bronzes mostly were cast and edited by Etling Paris or Susse Frères. In his own studio he was also able to cast bronzes. Besides his bronzes he also made a few chryséléphantines, especially elderly and children.

He also took part at some World Exhibitions, like the one in 1937. He was active till 1950.

Literature:
- Jean-Charles Hachet, Dictionnaire illustré des Sculpteurs & Fondeurs de l'Antiquité á nos jours" Volume I&II., Argus Valentines, limited edition, 2005, pictures and biography: Volume I: p.190, Volume II: p. 676.
- Thierry Roche; 'Dictionnaire biographique des sculpteurs des années 1920-30', Édition Beau-Fixe, 2007, p. 49.
- Bryan Catley; "Art Deco and other figures", Baron Publishing, 1978, p. 33-38, picture p. 370.

Condition

Very good