Louis Gustave Cambier & Roger Guérin, sculpture ‘ Bust of a young boy ’ salted stoneware, Bouffioulx ca 1925

A rare sculpture of a young man or boy attributed to the sculptor and painter Louis-Gustave Cambier and produced in the workshops of the Belgian ceramist Roger Guérin in Bouffioulx around 1925.

Their collaboration is well known, and several busts were made there in kiln-fired salt stoneware (documentation available on request).

The slightly iridescent blue/green glaze is typical of the work of master potter Roger Guérin. The underside of the piece is also typical of R. Guérin's realisation.

The enamelling and iridescent glaze are perfectly executed.

Ceramic in very good condition, with 3 small chips under the base (see images, red arrows).

DELIVERY RATES (to be added to the asking price):
Pick-up: Free.
For Belgium:30€.
For France:40€.
For Europe:60€.
For the rest of the world:120€.

Louis-Gustave Cambier (1874, Brussels - 1949, Ixelles).

Painter - Engraver - Sculptor.

Louis-Gustave Cambier, a Belgian artist, trained at the Académie de Bruxelles and the Académie Ranson in Paris. He was a pupil of Jean-François Portaels in Brussels, then of Paul Signac in Paris (1893-1897). During this period, he made friends with major figures in the Nabi movement, such as Paul Sérusier and Maurice Denis, whose influence is reflected in his early religious compositions, particularly his stained-glass cartoons.

Cambier married Juliette Ziane, a self-taught flower painter and niece of the art critic Octave Maus. She became a pupil of her husband, with whom she shared an artistic career.

During the First World War, the couple lived in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where they met Auguste Renoir. Their many trips to Turkey, Asia Minor and Palestine had a major impact on Cambier's career. In Jerusalem, he met the writer Pierre Loti, who passed on to him his interest in the Orient. This period, often described as the ‘dark period' (until 1905), is illustrated by major works such as :

- The Holy Sepulchre (Musée d'Ixelles).

- The Millenniums (Ghent Museum).

- The Golden Horn (Bruges Museum).

- Russian Pilgrimage to Jerusalem (Brussels Museum).

- The green Mosque, with Brousse.

In addition to its Eastern scenes, Cambier also painted portraits (in particular of king Albert and the cardinal Mercier), still lifes, and landscapes inspired by the valley of Meuse, the forest of Soignes, and the Near East.

Initially impressionistic, his palette, influenced by Fauvism, gradually evolved towards a more realistic style. He was also a sculptor, creating several busts and portraits.

In 1898, Cambier co-founded the artistic circle ‘Le Labeur', demonstrating his involvement in Belgian artistic life. His works can now be found in a number of institutions, including the museums of Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Liège and Tournai.

In short, Louis-Gustave Cambier is a leading figure in Belgian art, combining Impressionist, Fauvist and Oriental influences in a diverse body of work.