Dubucand, Alfred

Born in Paris on November 25th of 1828, Alfred Dubucand studied under Justin Marie Lequien (French, 1796-1881) and later under Antoine-Louis Barye. While he worked almost exclusively as an animal sculptor or "Animalier", he had a fine eye for capturing the human element in his equestrian and portrait groups. Some of his most successful works were his studies of French-occupied North Africa and his Eastern nomadic subjects and hunt scenes. His bronzes are always exceptionally well-detailed with special attentions shown to the patina, a skill-set he learned while studying under Barye; his early works are often characterized by more complex and nuanced surface patination. Never over-worked or excessive, his lively models show inordinate attention to detail with brilliant texturing and chiseling to the surfaces.

In 1867 his wax model of Dead Pheasant was exhibited for his debut at the Paris Salon. He continued to exhibit his works at Salon every year through 1883, achieving the ultimate recognition of a gold medal at the Paris Salon of 1879 for his group in bronze of Un Chasseur Persan au Guépard. Other exhibits inlcluded his Valet Restraining Dogs (1868), Griffon Attacking a Duck (1868), Spaniel and Hare (1869), Stag and Hind (1870), Return from the Hunt at Courre (1870), Egyptian Gazelle Hunt (1873), Hunting in the Sahara (1874), Ostrich Hunt (1875) and the Donkey Driver of Cairo (1876). These models were often exhibited as wax models and sometimes plaster and later were offered again at Salon cast in bronze. The same year of his last exhibit was the first year of exhibition for A.E. Dubucand, the son and pupil of Alfred Dubucand; he would continue to exhibit through 1890 while his father stopped presenting works altogether after 1883. Alfred Dubucand died in Paris in 1894.

References:

• Art Bronzes, Michael Forrest, 1988, p. 474
• The Animaliers, James Mackay, 1973, p. 60
• The Dictionary of Western Sculptors in Bronze, James Mackay, Baron, 1977, p. 112
• Les Bronzes Animaliers, Jean-Charles Hachet, Editions Varia, 1986, p. 130
• Animals in Bronze, Christopher Payne, 1986, p. 402
• E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. IV, Gründ, 2006, p. 1225-26
• Bronzes of the Nineteenth Century: A Dictionary of Sculptors, Pierre Kjellberg, Schiffer, 1994, p. 299-301
• Dictionnaire de Sculpteurs de l'école Française, Vol. II, Stanislas Lami, Kraus, 1916, p. 231-232 [all works presented at Salon 1867-1883]