Rating and value of sculptures and animal bronzes by Gaston Le Bourgeois

If you own a work by or after Gaston Le Bourgeois, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will be happy to offer you their appraisal services.

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value.

Then, if you want to sell your work, we'll point you in the right direction to get the best possible price for it.

Rating and value of works by Gaston Le Bourgeois     

Gaston Le Bourgeois produced one-of-a-kind sculptures. Nowadays, prices for his creations can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. His sculptures are particularly prized by buyers from all over the world.

The price at which they are selling on the art market ranges from €100 to €60,000 at the moment, a substantial difference but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Le Bourgeois's works.

In 2016, his bronze sculpture Tête de lama mouton, dating from 1922, sold for €86,000, originally estimated at €8,000 to €12,000, more than 10 times the low estimate.

The upside potential for works by Gaston Étienne Le Bourgeois on the auction market is therefore enormous. Animal sculpture, particularly in bronze, has been very successful of late, setting auction records.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Georges Le Bourgeois 

Georges Le Bourgeois is a multi-talented artist who has explored various media, including wood and drawing, with a marked predilection for bronze.

In addition to his major sculptural works, he also produced a number of drawings, probably preparatory sketches for his animal sculptures, characterized by a minimalist aesthetic and a high degree of realism.

At the same time, he has ventured into woodworking, creating rare and exceptional pieces of furniture that testify to his keen sense of design, combining functionality and aesthetics with remarkable precision.

His style is reminiscent of artists such as François Pompon, Paul Landowski or even Armand Petersencreating a link between tradition and innovation.

The influence of medieval sculpture and architecture can be felt in his work, but it remains resolutely contemporary, rooted in its time yet transcending it with a sensibility all his own.

Le Bourgeois successfully blends classical forms with a modern interpretation, capturing the essence of his subjects while pushing back the boundaries of artistic representation.

Le Bourgeois' aesthetic is distinguished by a refined minimalism: his sculptures are carefully stripped of all superfluous elements, emphasizing the pure representation of the animal in all its majesty.

Every detail, every curve is carefully thought out, revealing a harmony between subject and material. His bold vision and innovative approach make him an artist ahead of his time.

Georges Le Bourgeois's sculptures are as fascinating and inspiring today as they ever were, establishing themselves as timeless icons of modern sculpture.

The career of Gaston Étienne Le Bourgeois

Gaston Étienne Le Bourgeois (1881-1957), of French origin, was born in Paris. He began his career at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he studied sculpture and traditional ceramic techniques.

In 1905, he moved to the Villa Medici in Rome to further his training, but ended up in the studio of the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Auguste Clésinger. Jean-Baptiste Auguste Clésinger that he would spend several years familiarizing himself with modeling and the creation of complex forms.

Clésinger, a master of classical sculpture, introduced him to the subtleties of animal art. 

In the 1920s, animal art experienced a considerable boom. Artists such as François Pompon, known for his White Bear exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1922, gathered a new generation of animal artists around them, who drew inspiration from their work.

In 1926, Le Bourgeois also took up animal art, regularly visiting the Jardin des Plantes to study animals in their natural environment, joining Pompon's circle of disciples.

The first collective exhibition of the "Animaliers" took place in 1927 at the Brandt gallery, where Le Bourgeois exhibited alongside Sandozand Bigot, Artus and Pompon. His talent did not go unnoticed.

At the same time, the Manufacture de Sèvres, looking for contemporary works to adapt in colored soft stoneware, chose several sculptures by Le Bourgeois, marking his entry onto the artistic scene.

Unlike Pompon's creations, which represent an idealized vision of animals, Le Bourgeois's creations exude an expressive intensity and acute sensitivity that distinguish him as a master of animal sculpture.

By 1929, just three years after his debut, he was already recognized as one of the most promising artists of his generation, often cited alongside Pompon.

In 1931, the "Douze Animaliers Français" group was formed, and although he was French, Le Bourgeois participated enthusiastically.

The economic crisis of 1932 prompted many artists, including himself, to diversify their production, notably by creating ceramic editions to support themselves, collaborating with prestigious manufacturers.

After Pompon's death in 1933, the Animaliers group gradually dissolved. However, thanks to Sandoz, who took over the Brandt gallery, they continued to meet until 1939, when the war finally dispersed them.

In 1935, Le Bourgeois obtained French nationality, but continued to exhibit regularly, consolidating his artistic legacy.

Sculpting animals in the 20th century with Le Bourgeois

At a time when the industrial era is in full swing and the modern world is accelerating, wildlife artists find an inexhaustible source of inspiration in nature and its creatures, which they seek to represent with a new sensibility.

This artistic genre, often marginalized, enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to visionary sculptors like Gaston Étienne Le Bourgeois, who succeeded in capturing the essence of animals with remarkable depth and expressiveness.

At the beginning of the 20th century, animal sculpture was reinvented under the impetus of emblematic figures such as François Pompon, whose works simplified forms without sacrificing the essence of the animal.

Pompon, a former practitioner of Rodin, turned away from the hyper-realist approach in favor of clean lines and smooth volumes, seeking to capture the essence of the creatures he sculpted.

His Ours Blanc, presented at the Salon d'Automne in 1922, became a symbol of this new style. With its soft contours and almost minimalist appearance, it inspired a whole generation of animal artists, including Le Bourgeois, who sought to express animal life with an economy of formal means, without losing sight of the intrinsic energy of the subject.

Le Bourgeois stands out for his original approach, in which he combines elements of realism with a deep emotional sensitivity. His work emphasizes meticulous observation of animal behavior, which he captures in poses that reflect their unique character.

Inspired by his visits to zoos and nature walks, he brings his sculptures to life, evoking both the power and fragility of the animal world.

In the 1920s and 1930s, animal sculpture enjoyed a veritable golden age in Europe. In France, in addition to Pompon, artists such as Paul Jouve, Édouard-Marcel Sandoz and Armand Petersen stood out for their ability to capture the soul of animals.

Jouve, for example, excelled in his depictions of big cats and birds, combining anatomical precision with expressiveness. Sandoz, meanwhile, was interested not only in exotic animals, but also in domestic species, which he interpreted with particular sensitivity.

As a member of this circle, Le Bourgeois brings an innovative dimension to animal art by introducing varied textures and unexpected materials, such as terracotta and patinated bronzes, enhancing the visual and tactile impact of his works.

At the same time, the Art Deco movement, which dominated the period between the wars, also influenced animal sculpture. Geometric shapes, clean lines and luxurious materials such as bronze and ivory were favored, giving sculptures a modern, refined look.

Animals become stylized motifs, integrated into architectural or decorative compositions, reinforcing the idea that animal art can also be decorative art. By exploiting these trends, Le Bourgeois succeeds in creating works that transcend mere representation to become design elements in their own right.

The Second World War marked a break, but the post-war period saw animal sculpture reinvented once again. Influenced by abstraction and existentialism, the artists of this period explored new ways of representing the animal world.

The forms sometimes become more stylized, the materials more varied, but the interest in fauna persists, once again underlining the indefectible link between mankind and nature.

In the 20th century, animal sculpture has evolved to reflect the concerns of its time, from the purity of form to the expressiveness of volume, while remaining deeply attached to the beauty and diversity of the animal world.

Each artist, and Gaston Étienne Le Bourgeois in particular, contributed his own vision, enriching this artistic genre with a diversity of approaches that continues to inspire and fascinate. 

Recognizing Gaston Le Bourgeois's signature    

Gaston Le Bourgeois doesn't always sign his works. If you think you own one, it's best to have it appraised.

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a Gaston Le Bourgeois creation, or you think you might have one, please feel free to request a free estimate using the form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you want to sell your property, our specialists will also help you find alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.