19. 19AR JEAN (HANS) ARP (1886-1966) The Saint of the Edge signed, numbered 'Arp 0/ V' and bears the founder's mark 'Georges Rudier Fondeur Paris' (under the base) bronze 74 x 36.5 x 21.5 cm. Designed in 1963, this bronze version was cast by Georges Rudier Fondeur Paris in 1975 in an edition of 5, plus an artist's proof numbered 0/V. Provenance Marguerite Arp Collection. Private collection, Lugano (acquired from her in July 1980). Acquired from her by the current owner. Bibliography E. Trier, M. Arp-Hagenbach, F. Arp, Jean Arp. Sculptures 1957-1966, Stuttgart, 1968, p. 122, no. 310a (another cast illustrated on p. 122). Jean Arp's sculpture Le Saint des Lisières is both poetic and enigmatic, a perfect embodiment of the spirit of Surrealism. This bronze, with its soft, organic forms, invites us to contemplate its fluidity and abstraction. The patina that covers the surface of the work seems to give the sculpture a life of its own, an almost animal presence. The subtle shine and play of shadows created by this patina suggest a natural aspect, while at the same time suggesting a strangeness that emanates from the rest of the work. The almost liquid forms unfold with great lightness, defying the limits of materiality. Through this work, Jean Arp explores a gestural abstraction, where the absence of precise details leaves room for the imaginary. Le Saint des Lisières could be seen as a totemic figure, a quasi-spiritual presence, emerging from the edges of the mental forest where the artist invites the viewer to wander. The surreal aspect of the sculpture lies in this juxtaposition of natural forms and a distortion that defies traditional codes. The curves and undulations of the work are transformed into an almost mystical visual language. They reflect Arp's quest to capture the very essence of life, far from realistic representations, in a universe where we feel as much as we observe. In this way, Le Saint des Lisières becomes an invitation to perceive the invisible, to lose oneself in a world where materiality dissolves into sensual, abstract poetry. The beauty of this sculpture lies in its ability to evoke a sensory experience that is both intimate and universal, like an echo of the human soul in perpetual metamorphosis.