1909 Edouard Fraisse Bronze of Boxer Willie Lewis: ETA New Bronzes
 

Picked this up recently.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...s%20Bronze.JPG

Measures about 5" x 8" [12.5 cm x 20 cm]. It says "Made In Paris 1909 Fraisse"

Édouard Fraisse is known mainly for his compositions inspired by sport. He was a member of the Société des Artistes Français and the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts; he also exhibited at the Salon d'Automne. Fraisse studied under Barrias, Coutan, Chalpain and Vernon. He collaborated with Henry Demey on numerous medals and plaquettes that typically depicted figures and especially sports figures in action. They were considered to be some of the best and most prestigious plaque and medal makers in France during the 1920s and 30s. He was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 1929.

I wondered why Willie Lewis. Turns out that he moved to Paris in 1909 and fought there several times over the next few years. In early 1910, Lewis made an unsuccessful bid at the world middleweight title losing to Billy Papke and made two unsuccessful attempts at the world welterweight title, controversially drawing against World welterweight Champion Harry Lewis (no relation) twice in Paris.

Fraisse also competed in the Olympics in the art category. Up until 1948 there were art competitions during the Olympics. It including painting, sculpturinging, architecture, literature and music. The winners received medals the same as the athletes. Fraisse competed in sculpturing (correct name) and painting in 1924, 1928 and 1932, but did not medal. Avery Brundage, president of the USOC and IOC, was one of the few people who competed in athletics and the art competitions. Athletics in 1912 and Mixed Literature in 1932 and 1936.

Willie Lewis French Mag.

And I thought ice skating was an activity and not a sport because of the lack of objective criteria for evaluation...

Beautiful piece Adam

congrats
 

Carlton, it was in a mixed lot of boxing memorabilia I picked up. It had a wood and silk frame around it but that was so busted up and stained that it was unsalvageable. It was glued to an inset in the frame from the back. I might have it reframed in a shadow-box type arrangement, though I like it as a freestanding piece on the end table.

An old girlfriend was into skating, I told her it couldn't be a sport since it didn't involve hitting things with sticks, kicking things or any sort of vehicle.

We'd broken up by the time the whole Nancy Kerrigan thing happened, but I sent her a message saying I was wrong about skating....
She's gotten over it, but was pretty mad at me for a while.

Added two more small bronzes to my 'collection' (about the size of Goudeys); also French:

This one is by Rene Baudichon

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...lacque%201.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...lacque%202.jpg

This one by Andre Mery:

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...lacque%202.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...lacque%203.jpg

Another one, this one is 100 mm tall and is an amateur boxing award by A. Deudonne, ca. 1945-1950.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...%20FFB%201.jpg