Orpheus with a Naiad – Signed

This French bronze inkstand is signed by the sculptor “G. Flamand” (Georges Flamand) and depicts a scene from classical mythology: Orpheus and a Naiad.

The inkstand’s composition is a sculptural tableau, designed to evoke a natural water setting, possibly a riverbank or lakeside. The scene features two primary figures. Dominating one side is the idealized male figure of Orpheus, the legendary musician and poet of Greek myth. He is depicted holding and playing a lyre, which serves as one of the functional supports or “legs” of the inkstand itself, seamlessly blending artistic narrative with practical design.

Emerging from the naturalistic, water-mimicking base is the female figure. This figure is identifiable as a Naiad, a type of beautiful water nymph associated with springs, rivers, and lakes. Her human form is depicted with fluidity, and crucially, she holds strands of seaweed in her hand.

The sculptor, Georges Flamand (1853-1936), was a respected French artist and a pupil of Mathurin Moreau. Flamand regularly exhibited at the prestigious Salon des Artistes Français in Paris, gaining recognition for his graceful bronze figures that often explored classical, mythological, and allegorical subjects. His skill in rendering the human form and his ability to infuse decorative objects with artistic narrative are showcased in this inkstand.