In this terracotta bust of William Shakespeare, the famed French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse portrays the brilliant Bard of Avon with theatrical flair. Carrier-Belleuse, highly regarded by Napoléon III, was acclaimed for his sumptuous and seductive sculpture that combined elements of unbridled realism with flourishes of Baroque and Rococo splendor.

Carrier-Belleuse was acclaimed for masterfully executing sculpture in bronze, terracotta, marble and porcelain. He served as the Director of the Works of Art at the Sèvres factory, and his assistant Auguste Rodin would himself go on to become a noted sculptor. He was one of the founding members of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and was made an officer of the Legion of Honour. Carrier-Belleuse received numerous prestigious awards throughout his lifetime, and he is regarded among the greatest sculptors of the 19th century.

Circa 1887

Signed "A. Carrier-Belleuse Paris" (inside collar)

21" high x 14" wide x 10" deep