Featured 19th C Neoclassical Gilt Bronze Hebe(?) by Jean Gout

I picked this up months ago at a local auction. She came from an expensive home in our downtown area, and I was surprised when the dealers let me have her for $80. Mercury-gilt bronze, 9" x 12" (22.86 x 30.48 cm). I'm assuming she is Hebe the cupbearer, but I'm open to other suggestions! She might have been part of a mantel clock arrangement. I can't find much on the artist, though there are other examples of his work around. I saw some things that hint he might have been a German who gave himself a French-equivalent name to work in Paris, but I'm not sure on all that.









I had always wanted one of these neoclassical bronzes so she'll be staying with me.

 

nasty that the dealer / owner had to mark up the work with an electric pencil.....
even though I know it was fashionable for a time to mark ones personal numbers on expensive items around the house....
even the cops told us to do such things ....

nice Lady though !!!!!

 

That looks like a Social Security number added in case of theft.

Debora

 

yup......

 

Isn't that the same as ormolu? And wasn't the process banned at some point?

It's possible the artist had Hebe in mind. She seems rather world weary & perhaps a bit inebriated to me, not usual for Hebe. Maybe Hebe after being replaced by Ganymede in her father's affections.

 

Perhaps Mr. Gout would have called it that. You can see the reddish edge color from the process on the bottom of her. It was definitely banned in favor of less deadly means.

Hmm, she's just looking downward which looks like the usual pose for other statues of her. I suppose in deference.

I see it occasionally on things and know what it's for (I included it so there wouldn't be speculation it was a factory mark in the larger view). It doesn't bother me personally since it's on the back and I'm not selling her.

 

Shes lovely but someone sure was dedicated to polishing her .

 

She is very impressive. I've never seen polished bronze before as it's normally taboo. It does look stunning when it is buffed up though.

 

She's not polished...she has had gold applied to the surface using the old mercury-gilt method (before they moved to electroplating because mercury is terrible for your health...).

I'm glad y'all like her!

 

Oh you said that in your post.

 

Very lovely.

 

Very nice! Great buy!

 

Yes it is.

I think Jeangout is the surname, like the Champagne house Jeangout. So not a first name 'Jean' and a surname 'Gout'.

 

Gout is a French surname as well, and seems to be held by more people according to surname data sites. I wish I could find more information in general about the artist.

 

A Google search for sculptor Jeangout only yielded listings such as:

https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Jean-Gout/028ABDE4109E9076

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/jean-gout-101-c-4b4436dae4

and of course this thread itself.

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/27162403974033414/.

 

clearly some subtile differences...

 

Im sticking with polished to death. Sorry !

 

She looks happier when she's shiny...

 

Is Mercury-gilt not a thing that comes up often on this forum?

This is her underside where you can get a good look at the process. The gold is applied with mercury. The metal is heated, the mercury burns off, and it leaves behind a red color. You can see that in various spots in my previous images, but I think it's best illustrated on the bottom.



You can also see a chip in her gilding on her forearm.



And here's a YT video about the process and what it looks like.

Here's another of his works, gilded.

Yes, I have seen this one.

Here's another, just bronze without gilding.