Rating and value of sculptures and bronzes by Georges Lavroff

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Rating and value of the artist Georges Lavroff   

Considered one of the masters of Russian animal sculpture, Georges Lavroff was recognized during his lifetime. He followed in the artistic vein of 19th-century animal sculptors. His legacy therefore consists mainly of sculptures made with several types of material, especially bronze.

At present, prices for his works are rising recurrently at auctioneers' gavels. His sculptures are prized above all by Russian buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €150 to €14,000, a considerable delta, which nevertheless speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to Georges Lavroff's works.

In 2013, one of his bronze sculptures, Ours polaire en marche, sold for €14,000 while it was estimated at between €3,000 and €4 000.

Order of value ranging from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist Georges Lavroff   

The artist is part of sculptural neoclassicism, becoming one of the most famous and sought-after sculptors of his time in Russia. He works to some extent with marble and terracotta, but also with bronze, and it is the latter material that is most often found in his works on the auction market.

He has a predilection for bronze with various patinas (brown, green, black) often associated with marble or onyx bases typical of Art Deco. He also works in plaster for sketches and models, sometimes in ceramics and stone.

He uses lost-wax casting, guaranteeing the preservation of modeling details. The workmanship is smooth and stylized, in keeping with the Art Deco aesthetic. Volumes are simplified, contours are fluid and silhouettes elongated, expressing an impression of controlled movement.

The surface is polished, with few traces and little modeling, with a search for formal purity. He specializes in animal sculpture, with panthers, lions, horses, dogs and exotic animals.

The animal figures are captured in dynamic yet stylized postures with a certain muscular tension. He also occasionally created human sculptures (nudes, allegories) treated with the same linear sobriety.

The construction is based on geometric lines of force, typical of Art Deco. He places emphasis on compact masses and elongated silhouettes, favoring harmony and elegance.

His refined patinas, with a nuanced dark brown, sometimes enhanced by green or gold highlights. He seeks a contrast between the dark bronze and the polished stone bases (light marble, veined onyx). The overall effect is one of luxury and decorative sobriety, in keeping with Art Deco interiors.

The life of Georges Lavroff  

Georges Lavroff (1895-1991), a Russian artist, became an important figure in twentieth-century animal sculpture.

He was born in the Russian Empire, in the Siberian region.

He showed an early interest in art, taking classes with the painter Karonotov, before studying medicine. In Tomsk, he attended drawing and painting classes while studying medicine, until the October Revolution.

From 1922, the artist exhibited in Moscow and joined the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia. A fervent supporter of Soviet art, he continued to produce in Russia until 1927, when he moved to Paris, where he underwent further artistic training. He exhibited his work at the Salon des Indépendants and the Salon d'Automne. In the artistic vein of Carrier-Belleuse, he produced rather colossal animal bronzes, depicting mostly fawns and birds.

From 1935, he returned to his native country, where he became one of the official artists of the Soviet regime. 

Focus on Walking panther, circa 1930, Georges Lavroff

This medium-format Art Deco animal sculpture (40 - 70 cm depending on cast) depicts a panther in lateral movement, captured in a fluid walk. Its body is elongated, slightly stretched, where the dorsal line creates a harmonious rhythm.

The head is slightly lowered, and accentuates the impression of vigilance and restrained power. The surface is polished and smooth, with few anecdotal details. The emphasis is on the overall line and muscular masses, suggested by wide planes.

There is an absence of excessive naturalism, the modeling is stylized, favoring decorative effect. The sculpture conveys an impression of suppleness and tension, the animal looking ready to pounce despite the apparent serenity of its stride.

The lines are elongated and the silhouette is streamlined, emphasizing the panther's elegant, majestic character. The combination of dark bronze and light-colored base produces a luxurious contrast effect typical of Art Deco interiors.

The panther, an animal of power, refers to an aesthetic of mastered strength. This work becomes an emblematic figure of Art Deco, where the animal becomes a decorative icon rather than a zoological study. The sculpture celebrates the aesthetics of movement as much as the formal beauty of nature.

The example is representative of Art Deco animal sculpture, with a simplification of volumes, a search for pure lines and decorative refinement. It follows in the footsteps of Pompon, but with a surplus of anatomical naturalism.

Georges Lavroff's imprint on his period  

Georges Lavroff proved in Russia that classical sculpture was still alive. Like the Italians of the Renaissance, he drew inspiration from antique subjects and used their techniques. On the art market today, his bronzes are highly prized, and his marbles even more so.

An exhibition devoted entirely to him in Moscow in 1882, he is one of the artists who left a lasting mark on the Soviet regime.

His dual roots between Russia and France illustrate the circulation of artists between East and West, and the integration of foreign creators into the Parisian scene. His style is characterized by a balance between naturalism and stylization, which sets him apart from the clean lines of Pompon and the symbolism of Jouve. His panthers, horses, lions and dogs have become decorative archetypes.

His works are often produced in limited editions by Parisian foundrymen, and fed the luxury decorative object market in the years 1925 - 1935. He helped disseminate an aesthetic of elegant modernity, suited to bourgeois and cosmopolitan interiors.

His sculptures reflect the taste for exoticism and animal power characteristic of international Art Deco. He is also close to Édouard-Marcel Sandoz, with the same desire to reconcile zoological observation and decorative stylization.

He also shares with Paul Jouve a sensibility for the animal as a symbol of vitality and luxury. Less publicized than Pompon or Sandoz, Lavroff is recognized by specialized Art Deco collectors.

Recognizing Georges Lavroff's signature  

The artist signs " G. Lavroff " on most of his sculptures. There are, however, many copies, which is why expertise is important. 

Knowing the value of a work 

If you happen to own a work by Georges Lavroff or after the artist, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, not forgetting to send you ad hoc information about it.

If you are considering selling your work, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.