Artwork information

Category

Sculpture

Material

Bronze

Period

Beginning of the 21st century

Dimensions

20 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm

Signature

Signed

State of conservation

Very good

Location

Royan, France

Description

Set of 3 bronze Sumo statues signed Christian Maas. These sculptures are numbered "2/33" and signed on their base.

Beautifully crafted, very amusing sculptures. It is said that these sculptures were made as a tribute to Jacques Chirac, who had a passion for Sumo wrestling.

Provenance

Private French collection

The artist

Sculptor

Christian Maas

Born in 1951
France

Bio

Christian Maas was born on 11 September 1951, in Saint-Etienne, France. He is a French sculptor who has made a name for himself through public commissions.

After studying foreign languages, modern literature and art history, Christian Maas travelled around the world before devoting himself exclusively to sculpture. He learns the handling of materials, particularly bronze, in various foundries. Since 1987, he has devoted himself fully to the practice of his art.

In 1988, he began an apprenticeship in the workshop to work with wax and plaster. In 1989, he fine-tunes his artistic work on wax in the foundries where he works. 

In 1991, he begins a series of tributes to Brancusi, Zadkine, Moore, Archipenko, these are his first personal works. At the same time, he made his first castings and discovered patinas.

In 1992 and 1993, he creates movable sculptures: tables, chests of drawers, consoles, lamps. 

In 1994 and 1995, he takes a hyper-realistic direction with the feminine series of Windy Day, Canicula, l'Invitation, Extasy, Fusion, then he makes his first "large sizes" (1.80 m).

In 1996, he created his first monumental animal works such as his large Horse and Bull (life-size), as well as large fountains more than two metres high. 

In 1997, he continues his monumental animal subjects, horses, bulls, deer, wild boar and also works on the Wargils, life-size erotic women. At the same time, he carried out work for Louis Cane.

In 1998, he designed his first commemorative sculptures. He also met René Bouvier who became his agent and on his advice, he created works around Bacchus and the symbols of the vine and wine, his Bachesque period.

In 1999, his works are presented at the Salon Museum Expression and at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.

In July 1999, he asked René Bouvier to create and register the trademark "Christian Maas Diffusion". At the same time, since January 1999, he obtains his first quotations on the international art market.

Christian Maas has also been signing sculptures for several years under the pseudonyms Paul Michel and David Alan Jones.