Attributed to René Baumer (French, 1906–1982), a carved wood nude figure

carved to a square section base, inscribed in pencil to underside
55cm high

Apprenticed as a lithographer in 1922 and working as an engraver and draughtsman between 1928 and 1931, it was not until 1941, influenced by the work of Aristide Maillol, that French-born René Baumer began sculpting. After accepting a professorship at the National Education in 1947, Baumer largely abandoned sculpture, instead dedicating his practice to painting. As a result, examples of his sculpted forms are seldom found. Echoing his angular and multifacted works on paper, Baumer’s sculptures are typified by their rough, often adzed, finish.