TO THE RESCUE BY VICTOR DEMANET

Description : To the Rescue » depicting two haulers at work. Haulers were individuals who pulled boats along rivers and canals. Hauling was a widely used technique before the invention of boat engines. In this case, it refers to « bricole » hauling; « bricole » is the name for the leather harness that haulers used to tow the boats.

The Belgian sculptor Victor Demanet 

Victor Demanet, a notable Belgian sculptor, achieved multiple awards during his career, including recognition for his bronze sculpture « To the Rescue » at the 1925 Paris Salon and a Gold Medal for « Metallurgy » at the 1930 Liège International Exhibition. He created various statues of King Albert I and Princess Astrid for different cities, along with other monuments featuring historical figures. Influenced by Constantin Meunier, Demanet’s socially engaged art focused on depicting workers. His sculpture « To the Rescue » portrays two generations of haulers, symbolizing themes of life, sharing, and assistance, inviting viewers to interpret its meaning beyond surface representation.

Material : Bronze sculpture. Low wax casting by Batardy.

Period : 1925

Dimensions : 72 x 42 x 98 cm