Damien Colcombet is an animal sculptor born in Rennes in 1967. He creates bronze sculptures of wild and domestic animals. Expert in 19th century French sculpture and animal art, Colcombet publishes a quarterly article on these subjects in the magazine Chasses Internationales. Zoom on the most famous sculptures of the artist.
Where does Damien Colcombet exhibit his works?
Damien Colcombet regularly exhibits his works on the 4 sites of the Estades Gallery, namely in Paris, Toulon, Baden-Baden and Lyon. You can then discover Damien Colcombet's works on estades.com. Among the most important collectors of Damien Colcombet's sculpture is Alain Delon. The sculptor's work has been awarded several times. In November 2013, he received the prestigious Edouard-Marcel Sandoz award at the Salon des Artistes Animaliers de Bry-sur-Marne. In June 2014, an exhibition dedicated to his life was held in Brussels and in November 2015, he received a Bronze medal at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris. One of his largest sculptures bearing the name "Giraffe and Girafon" is exhibited at the Parc de la Tête d'Or zoo in Lyon.
What method does the artist use?
Damien Colcombet has always been a self-taught artist, but he has taken sculpture classes in a workshop in Lyon, in addition to his personal training. The school of the great animal artists such as Frémiet, Barye and Rosa and Isidore Bonheur has always fascinated him. He is inspired by his readings and his visits to zoos and African reserves to imagine the animal he will sculpt. He only uses photos of animals when he needs to refine certain details of his work. He finishes each piece himself, supervising the surface finish and coloring to achieve the best patina. A Damien Colcombet sculpture is cast using the lost wax process. There are only 12 original copies of each of the pieces he sculpts.
The most famous works of the painter
Among the most famous works of the artist are the sculpture of the blue whale, the elk of Canada, "the Sperm Whales", "the giant turtle of Aldabra" and "the Giraffe Race". If you wish to acquire a Damien Colcombet sculpture and know if it is authentic or not, the first thing to check is the sculptor's signature. However, you should not only rely on the signature as reproductions have become more and more common. You should also ask for a certificate of authenticity from a professional art expert or gallery owner before you buy. In any case, it is preferable to buy from professional gallery owners.