Bronze representing an African mermaid (Mami Wata) with nuanced dark green patina.

Signed "Meauzé" and numbered 3 out of 6. Foundry stamp from Susse Paris.

This bronze sculpture with a nuanced dark green patina represents an African mermaid. The carefully sculpted details of the mermaid's body, as well as the scales that cover her tail, attest to the artist's great mastery in handling bronze. The dark patina gives the artwork an ancient and noble appearance, while the shades of green lend it a mysterious aura. The facial features are delicate and graceful, with an expression that seems both serene and captivating. The limbs are slender and perfectly proportioned, and the fish tail that extends from the waist is of great beauty. Overall, this sculpture is a timeless masterpiece that brilliantly captures the essence of African mythology and aesthetics.

Pierre Meauzé was a French sculptor born in 1913 and died in 1978, known for his representations of African women in the Art Deco style. He studied at the Beaux-Arts in Paris alongside Charles Despiau, before becoming the assistant of Aristide Maillol. With a state scholarship, he left for Africa in 1938, where he discovered African art. Fascinated by Ivory Coast, he settled in Abidjan where he participated in the creation of the Museum of Civilizations of Ivory Coast in the 1940s. He became the director of the Africa section of the Museum of African and Oceanic Arts in Paris in 1963, and collaborated with Anna Quinquaud and Roger Bézombes in the creation of the Maison de France d'Outre Mer in 1950. Throughout these years, Pierre Meauzé wrote numerous books on African art and participated in the reflection led by André Malraux on the definition of African art.