Charles van der Stappen, Le Sphinx Mystérieux, 1897

Charles van der Stappen, Le Sphinx Mystérieux, 1897, originally uploaded by Gatochy.

Ivory, bronze. 56 x 46 x 31 cm. Musée Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Bruxels.

"Van der Stappen worked on his ivory and metal sculptures as works of complete perfection. The bust here represented gathers all the characteristics of Belgian art of the fin-de-siècle and constitutes the origin of its Art Nouveau school. The sphinx is the image incarnated of literary symbolism, and ivory accentuates its mysterious aura."

Scanned and quoted from the book "Art Nouveau" by Gabriele Fahr-Becker.

Click image for 973 x 1340 version.