“Renard marchand” on wooden base, Material: Carved wood (later guilded/silvered); Period: 1920; Measurements: Height: 55,5 cms. Width: 76,5 cms.
The unique work shown here of a “Renard marchand” has an interesting and quite special history. During the first World War Le Bourgeois founded, together with François Carnot, a toy factory in Puteaux (“Le jouet de France”). This was a special project to help injured war victims to regain their dignity and social worthiness. In 1918 the factory was inaugurated by the French president Raymond Poincaré. The employees made many wooden toys for Parisian warehouses, such as; “Le Printemps”, “Le Bon Marché” and the “Galleries Lafayette”. These toys were all designed by Le Bourgeois, Henri Rapin (1873-1939) and the artist “Jaulmes”. One employee developed a special machine to help the workers to improve and quicken the production process. He was given a nick name by Le Bourgeois; “Le Renard”. For his cleverness the employee was rewarded, at leaving the factory at the beginning of the 1920’s, this unique sculpture of a fox. It has remained in his possession, and later in that of his family, ever since.
