François RATY (1928-1982) "Centaur Rare sculpture in bronze with black patina. Signed "Raty", dated 1958, numbered 1/6 and founder's stamp "Valsuani Cire Perdue". H: 49.5 cm W: 13 cm D: 29 cm. Provenance: Private collection in the South of France. François RATY (1928-1982) A French ceramist, painter, goldsmith and sculptor born in Paris, he studied drawing and painting from 1946 to 1948 at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where he met Guillaume Met de Penninghen. From 1949, he exhibited his paintings at the Galerie la Peau de Porc in Paris. A pupil of René Maurel in the 1950s, he trained in the pottery town of Vallauris. Very early on, he turned to modelling animals or figures inspired by Norse or Oceanic mythology. The stylistic characteristics that emerge are vigour, strength, excessiveness and a solemn, static quality that recalls the posture of a warrior. Like Pablo Picasso and other great names, he draws his inspiration from the animal world: birds, monkeys, fennecs, bulls, horses, gorillas and even insects populate his hieratic creations. Most of his pieces are one-offs, with elaborate and sophisticated fine designs, then carefully engraved and enhanced with brown enamel. After 1968, he began working in metal: copper, iron, zinc, brass and, more rarely, bronze, as in the sculpture we are presenting here, which is one of the artist's rare and sought-after works. ABMG Expertise: Ange Baron and Maxime Grail - [email protected] - 06 10 49 83 38.