Prisoner of Love by Erté (also known as ‘K’ from the numbers and letters series).
20th Century Art Deco bronze figural group entitled ‘Prisoner of Love’ by Erté, Romain de Tirtoff – modelled as a beautiful young woman in long stockings chained to a classical column overlooked by a kneeling figure of cupid with bow and arrow, raised on integral oval plinth with classical frieze. Signed Erté, dated 1980, stamped with Meisner foundry mark and numbered 61/250
“This sculpture, inspired by the design of the letter K of my alphabet series, was at first considered too erotic, but it has proven very successful. It represents a woman in ecstasy, chained to a column on top of which is a statue of Cupid. Her hair has the appearance of flames of passion. Her lace gloves and stockings are all that remain of her clothes. In one way or another, we are all prisoners of love. The woman’s chain symbolises both her captivity and the excitement of being bound to someone or something we love dearly.”
The above excerpt is a descriptive narrative written by the artist in his book Erté Sculpture.
Via Hickmet Fine Arts.