(1886–1948)
Marcel André Bouraine was a French sculptor whose career embodies the evolution and dynamism of the Art Deco era. Born in Pontoise in 1886, Bouraine first trained under Joseph-Alexandre Falguière, but much of his artistic development was self-directed. His early academic style later evolved into the clean lines and stylised forms that came to define Art Deco sculpture.
Early Life and Training
Bouraine enlisted in the 1st Engineer Regiment in 1907. During the First World War, he was captured and later interned in Switzerland, where his skill as a sculptor attracted attention. While hospitalised there in 1917, he created a number of public works, including a monument in Lausanne. He went on to study at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Geneva, where he formed a lasting friendship with fellow sculptor Pierre Le Faguays. In 1920, he gifted the city of Geneva Le Souvenir, a memorial dedicated to Belgian soldiers who had died during internment.
Close up of the Bouraine Signature on a FRENCH ART DECO BRONZE WOMAN WITH FLOWERS BY BOURAINE, CAST BY GOLDSCHEIDER available in our BRONZE SCULPTURE collection at Jacksons Antique
Exhibitions and Recognition
Bouraine exhibited widely throughout his career, showing at the Salon des Artistes Français, the Salon d’Automne, and the Salon des Tuileries. His participation in the sculpture event at the 1924 Summer Olympics and later contributions to the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (Paris, 1937) established him among the foremost sculptors of his generation.
Artistic Career
From 1925 onward, Bouraine embraced the Art Deco style, producing bronzes, statuettes, lamps, and bookends. His work combined graceful motion with streamlined geometry, reflecting the optimism and modernity of the interwar years. Often working with Pierre Le Faguays, he created major commissions, including bas-reliefs for the City of Paris Pavilion.
Bouraine also collaborated with leading figures of the era:
- With Gabriel Argy-Rousseau, he designed pâte de verre glass statuettes in 1928.
- Under the pseudonyms Derenne and Briand, he produced works through the Max Le Verrier foundry.
- He created public monuments in Cannes, including The Bather fountain and a tribute to aviator Jean Champsaur.
Close up of the detail on a FRENCH ART DECO BRONZE WOMAN WITH FLOWERS BY BOURAINE, CAST BY GOLDSCHEIDER available in our BRONZE SCULPTURE collection at Jacksons Antique
Legacy and Collections
Bouraine’s sculptures are admired for their lyrical balance between classical influence and Art Deco modernism. His works feature in major museum collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Collectors prize his bronzes for their refined detail, sense of movement, and period features.
Today, Marcel Bouraine is celebrated as one of the most representative sculptors of the Art Deco period, his creations embodying the luxury, style, and innovation that define the movement.