Charles Malfray (1887-1940) Isadora Duncan

About this piece

Very nice and unique plaster sculpture of the American dancer Isadora Duncan, made by the French sculptor and painter Charles Malfray.

Charles Malfray was a good friend of Isadora Duncan (1877-1827) who was a world famous dancer. For him she was his muse, and he always pictured her in his mind when he created a dancer. Strangely enough there is no bronze known made by Charles Malfray of Isadora Duncan, the only sculpture known is this little plaster. The plaster was prepared to cast in bronze, it was gum lacquered to prepare it, but probably there was an accident with the leg, we never will know.

The little plaster is put on a self-made wooden base for support and it's for sure he kept it always in his studio, all those years. We know from family. Beside all the little damages of the plaster, it is a very nice and unique plaster sculpture, the way he put her hands besides her neck, the position of her head with the chin up, just slightly, her dance pose, there is some drama going on. For me, the 'skin' of the plaster is so lively, due to all the shades of colour, created by the gum lacquer .

He made this plaster in the early 1920's. She posed for him in his studio in 1920/21. He won a poster contest with a design for a poster by Isadora Duncan in 1921. The plaster was made in the same period.

The plaster is not signed, the work is bought from the family of Charles Malfray by the first owner.

Biography:

Charles Malfray (Orléans, 1887- Dijon, 1940). Went to the École des Beaux-Arts, Orléans, École des Arts Décoratifs, Parijs en École des Beaux-Arts, Parijs.

Malfray worked as a stonemason (1901-1904) with the architecture sculptor Alfred Lanson in Orléans, the brother of his teacher, Ernest Lanson. He received a 10-year scholarship from the city of Orléans to complete his training.
In 1904 he moved to Paris, becoming a regular costumer of "Moulin de la Galette' or the "Lapin Agile", where he met artists such as Picasso and Gargello. In Isadora Duncan's studio he also met Rodin and Dunoyer de Segonzac. He became good friends with Maillol, Despiau and Bourdelle. He works as a stonemason with the sculptor Paul Gasq and took lessons at École des Arts Décoratifs.

In 1907 he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts, the classical training, based on the classics was disappointing and in the mean time he worked for Jules Coutan.

Military service followed and he had been mobilized for a few years during World War I, including 7 months in Verdun. He was seriously injured in 1917 by exposure to poison gas. He had to recover for a few years in a sanatorium. He remained sick all his life and died way too young.

After the war he picked up his life and worked at monuments of Pithiviers and Orléans. He became also a professor drawing at the, just founded, École des Arts Appliqués. In 1930 he became professor drawing and modelling, with help of his friend Maillol, at the Ransom Academy. Among his students were Charlotte van Pallandt, Kees Schrikker, Ettiënne Martin and François Stahly.

His career became very successful in the 1930's, he got national and international recognation and had many exhibitions abroad, including in Groningen, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

In 1933, he met his model Anise, she kept posing for him till his early death in 1940.

Literature:

- "Charles Malfray, 1887-1940, Sculpteur", Jean Baptiste Auffret , Eve Turbat, Galerie Malaquais, Paris 2007.

Condition

See description and photo's.