YVES DE COETLOGON (1913-1973), "Coq de combat", sculpture in - Lot 299

YVES DE COETLOGON (1913-1973), "Coq de combat", sculpture in Soignies blue stone, signed on the base, dim. H. 64x22x45cm, catalog from Musée Sandelin - Musée Henri Dupuis "Yves de Coëtlogon sculpteur" enclosed. Yves de Coëtlogon (1913 - 1973) French animal sculptor Born on July 16, 1913 at Château de Cocove, near Recques-sur-Hem in Pas-de-Calais, Yves de Coëtlogon belonged to an ancient Breton family whose name was linked to a line of military and noble families in the French kingdom. From an early age, he showed a keen interest in observing nature and animals, which were to become the main subjects of his work. After completing his secondary education in the Nord region of France, he moved to Paris in the late 1920s and joined the Académie Julian, where he trained as a sculptor between 1928 and 1932. It was in this rich artistic environment that he developed his direct-cut technique, inspired by the animal sculptors of his time, such as François Pompon, Paul Jouve and Charles Artus. His focus was on the animal, which he sought to render with sober realism and great formal sensitivity. His early creations were marked by a geometric rigor inherited from Art Deco, but his style soon evolved towards softer lines and a naturalist approach imbued with emotion. His models - deer, hinds, horses, ducks or crocodiles - are most often created in limestone, plaster or bronze. Each subject bears witness to an attentive study of animal morphology and movement: the tension of a body ready to pounce, the gentleness of a posture at rest, the precision of plumage or fur, all reflect a direct and passionate observation of living things. In the 1950s and 1960s, Yves de Coëtlogon divided his time between Paris and northern France. In 1962, he settled permanently in Audruicq, not far from his birthplace, where he continued his artistic activity in a studio adjoining his home. His work became more deeply rooted in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, where he is recognized as a discreet artist with a deep attachment to nature and traditional craftsmanship. Some of his sculptures feature in public collections or outdoor installations, notably the "Crocodile" in Barentin (Seine-Maritime), a monumental work that illustrates his mastery of volume and sense of movement. Other pieces, such as the "Biche au repos" (Hind at rest) or the "Canard plongeur" (Diving duck), are well known from public sales where they regularly appear (notably at Lyon Enchères and various regional auction houses). Yves de Coëtlogon, who died prematurely on August 21, 1973, left a rare but sincere body of work, marked by his quest for balance between the rigor of the sculptor and the sensitivity of the observer. His work continues the great French tradition of 20th-century animal sculpture, while asserting a strong regional identity, rooted in the land of the North. Even today, his sculptures are distinguished by their sobriety, elegance and expressive depth: they bear witness to the artist's unbreakable bond with the animal world, and recall the extent to which nature was for him a subject of study, but above all a source of wonder and respect.