The Water Lily Fairy, bronze cup by Maurice Bouval
A student of Falguière, Maurice Bouval was a sculptor active between the 1880s and World War I. Renowned for his delicate bronzes and decorative objects, he was a member of the Société des Artistes Français and participated in the 1900 World's Fair. His work is characteristic of Art Nouveau, where the female figure and inspiration from nature occupy a central place.
The work we are presenting, Coupe à la fée au nénuphar (Cup with Fairy and Water Lily), perfectly illustrates the artist's refinement and poetry. A delicately sculpted fairy in bas-relief rests in the heart of a water lily, whose stem serves as an elegant handle for the object. This cup combines harmony between aesthetics and functionality, perfectly embodying the spirit of Art Nouveau and the breaking down of barriers between the arts.
