Joseph C. Fleri ( 1889-1965 )
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The Blacksmith - Bronze with reddish-brown patina 20 ¾ x 11 ½ x 12 inches
Signed (on proper top left center of self base): JCF Inscribed in script (along rear right edge of self base): Modern Art Fdry.NY. Click image for detailed view |
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Provenance:
By descent within the artist’s family
Estate of the artist’s aunt, Texas
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Joseph Fleri was a talented figural sculptor who created bronze statuettes as well as larger-scale church and garden commissions. His sculptures were widely exhibited during his lifetime, mostly notably at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Salons of America. A member of the National Sculpture Society, he was also involved in the federal art project of the Works Progress Administration.
Depicting a youthful, heroic man in the process of forging a piece of steel, The Blacksmith is emblematic of the industrial age spirit. Bending the hot metal against the anvil with a hammer, the blacksmith looks down intently, concentrating on his work. His tranquil demeanor expresses the dignity of his labor. In rendering the sculpture, Fleri simplified the surface details, focusing instead on composing a dynamic interplay between the lines and the angles of the composition. The crook of the figure’s left arm and the downward slope of the steel bar converge to form a pleasing negative space. Though the sculpture is undated, its subject matter and streamlined aesthetic suggest that it was probably modeled around the 1930s.
