A. Gurdjan Russian Armenian. 1923 Bronze cubist art deco sculpture "Corrida"
Akop Gurdjan (Russian Armenian 1881-1948)
"Corrida" 1923.
Bronze sculpture. Dark green patina.
Signed to the bronze. Foundry stamp mark.
(Robecchi paris who was also founder for Troubetzkoy, Picasso or Sandoz)
Lost wax process.
L.28cm l.10cm h. 31cm
The Soul of Forms: Between Rodin’s Legacy and Modern Purity
The story of Agop Gurdjian begins in the rugged landscapes of Shusha at the end of the 19th century. Nothing predestined this merchant’s son to become one of the most prolific sculptors of the Armenian diaspora, save for an irresistible call of the stone. After his initial training in Moscow, he arrived in Paris in 1914, drawn by the aura of a giant who would transform his destiny: Auguste Rodin.
While frequenting the master’s studio, Gurdjian absorbed a fundamental lesson: sculpture is not a mere copy of reality, but a capture of inner life through movement. From Rodin, he mastered the science of profiles, the importance of light catching the modeled surface, and the ability to make emotion erupt from raw mass. His early portraits, marked by a rare psychological intensity, bear this Rodinian imprint, where every stroke of the chisel vibrates with dramatic tension.
Yet, Gurdjian was an explorer rather than a mere successor. While he retained Rodin’s sense of the sacred and organic power, he eventually pivoted to embrace the new elegance of the Roaring Twenties. It was during this transition that he produced his masterpiece of motion: "La Corrida" (The Bullfight).
In this piece, Rodin’s teachings on muscular vitality meet the rigor of Art Deco. Gurdjian treats the duel between man and beast as a geometric synthesis. The bull’s movement is distilled into powerful, taut curves, while the matador becomes a stylized, almost architectural silhouette. He no longer sought the tormented flesh favored by his master, but rather an absolute fluidity. Strength became a line; the struggle became a dance.
This mastery made him a virtuoso of simplification. His animals and athletes became models of dynamism where light—a tool he learned to wield under Rodin—no longer loses itself in textured surfaces but glides over smooth, bold planes. An untiring worker, he passed away in Boulogne-Billancourt in 1948, leaving behind an indestructible bridge between the wild power of the Caucasus, the lyrical breath of Rodin, and the geometric sophistication of modern Paris.
"Corrida" 1923.
Bronze sculpture. Dark green patina.
Signed to the bronze. Foundry stamp mark.
(Robecchi paris who was also founder for Troubetzkoy, Picasso or Sandoz)
Lost wax process.
L.28cm l.10cm h. 31cm
The Soul of Forms: Between Rodin’s Legacy and Modern Purity
The story of Agop Gurdjian begins in the rugged landscapes of Shusha at the end of the 19th century. Nothing predestined this merchant’s son to become one of the most prolific sculptors of the Armenian diaspora, save for an irresistible call of the stone. After his initial training in Moscow, he arrived in Paris in 1914, drawn by the aura of a giant who would transform his destiny: Auguste Rodin.
While frequenting the master’s studio, Gurdjian absorbed a fundamental lesson: sculpture is not a mere copy of reality, but a capture of inner life through movement. From Rodin, he mastered the science of profiles, the importance of light catching the modeled surface, and the ability to make emotion erupt from raw mass. His early portraits, marked by a rare psychological intensity, bear this Rodinian imprint, where every stroke of the chisel vibrates with dramatic tension.
Yet, Gurdjian was an explorer rather than a mere successor. While he retained Rodin’s sense of the sacred and organic power, he eventually pivoted to embrace the new elegance of the Roaring Twenties. It was during this transition that he produced his masterpiece of motion: "La Corrida" (The Bullfight).
In this piece, Rodin’s teachings on muscular vitality meet the rigor of Art Deco. Gurdjian treats the duel between man and beast as a geometric synthesis. The bull’s movement is distilled into powerful, taut curves, while the matador becomes a stylized, almost architectural silhouette. He no longer sought the tormented flesh favored by his master, but rather an absolute fluidity. Strength became a line; the struggle became a dance.
This mastery made him a virtuoso of simplification. His animals and athletes became models of dynamism where light—a tool he learned to wield under Rodin—no longer loses itself in textured surfaces but glides over smooth, bold planes. An untiring worker, he passed away in Boulogne-Billancourt in 1948, leaving behind an indestructible bridge between the wild power of the Caucasus, the lyrical breath of Rodin, and the geometric sophistication of modern Paris.
REFERENCE: gu2401
