Art Deco statuette "Jeune femme à l'oiseau" in silvered bronze and onyx

1. Detailed description:
This small sculpture depicts a kneeling woman holding a stylized bird, which she observes with tenderness. Made of silver-plated metal or nickel-plated regula, it rests on a base of pale green onyx and veined black marble. The woman is nude, except for a light drape falling over her thigh. Her geometric, plated hairstyle and earrings evoke a refined, stylized aesthetic. The elegant posture, fluid shapes and polished materials reinforce the scene's poetic élan. The expression of softness and lightness matches the presence of the bird, a symbol of peace or freedom.
2. Artistic trend and justification:
This work is fully in keeping with the Art Deco style, the dominant trend of the 1920s-1930s. It features the movement's typical canons: geometric shapes, stylized human figures, noble materials and refined contrasts (here between the shiny metal and the stone base). The free, graceful, sometimes androgynous representation of women is at the heart of Art Deco, which celebrates modernity, beauty and a restrained but present sensuality. The stylized bird accentuates this decorative approach, oriented towards ornament as much as symbolism.
3. Artist's biography:
There is no visible signature on this sculpture, making attribution difficult. However, this type of work is close to the work of Fayral, pseudonym of Pierre Le Faguays, or Demétre Chiparus, two major figures of Art Deco. These artists often collaborated with publishers such as Max Le Verrier to produce mass-produced sculptures in regule or bronze for interior decoration. Their highly prized works reflect the elegance and avant-garde of the Roaring Twenties, when the modern woman became muse and central motif.