Eugène Aizelin (1821-1902), bronze sculpture "Marguerite", 19th century

Eugène Aizelin (1821-1902)
Marguerite
Bronze
19th century
Circa 1880
Signed on the edge of the base: EUGne AIZELIN
Foundry mark on the edge of the base: F. BARBEDIENNE, Founder. Paris
Note on the gilt brass plaque:
To Mrs. MIOLAN CARVALHO
L'OPÉRA COMIQUE
June 9, 1885

A beautiful bronze with a chocolate patina depicting Marguerite, a character from the 1855 romantic opera in three acts, inspired by the legend of Faust. The music is by the composer Meyer Lutz and the libretto by Henry Drayton, based on the play Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The 1900 film "Faust and Marguerite" is an adaptation of the play directed by Edwin S. Porter.

Marie-Caroline Miolan-Carvalho was a French opera singer, born on December 31, 1827, in Marseille and died in the seaside hamlet of Puys near Dieppe on July 10, 1895. With her remarkable vocal agility as a coloratura soprano, she was one of the first "superdivas" of the 19th century. The daughter of oboist Félix Miolan, she studied singing with tenor Gilbert Duprez in 1843 before being engaged at the Opéra-Comique in 1850. In 1853, she created the role of Jeannette in Victor Massé's *Les Noces de Jeannette*. That same year, she married Léon Carvalho, whom she followed to the Théâtre-Lyrique, which he took over in 1856, in order to offer his wife the leading roles that had been denied her at the Opéra-Comique. She thus created the principal heroines of Charles Gounod's operas: Marguerite in Faust in 1859, Mireille in 1864, and Juliette in Romeo and Juliet in 1867. She also excelled in the Mozart repertoire: Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Pamina in The Magic Flute.
When her husband left the management of the Théâtre-Lyrique in 1868 (which had since moved to its new venue on the Place du Châtelet), she returned to the Opéra-Comique and then joined the Paris Opera, where she performed until 1885, alongside an international career.

She retired in 1885 with the role of Marguerite and taught singing in her Paris apartment. Her most notable student was Marie Delna.

Our bronze sculpture "Marguerite" is dated June 9, 1885, likely a gift for her retirement from the Opera.

Some traces of verdigris on the patina: restoration estimate available upon request.

Ref: L0P8F0P9NE