Art & Statues
Aurore Onu “Chasing the Hind” Silvered Bronze Sculpture, French Art Deco, circa 1930
Aurore Onu “Chasing the Hind” Silvered Bronze Sculpture, French Art Deco, circa 1930
This dramatic and rare French Art Deco silvered bronze sculpture titled Chasing the Hind is attributed to Aurore Onu and dates to circa 1930. Capturing a mythical pursuit, the piece features a stylized female figure in motion, hair swept back and garments sculpted in rhythmic folds, as she reaches for the antlers of a leaping hind. The dynamic composition, poised on a stepped marble and onyx base, balances both Cubist influence and classical form, emblematic of the finest in French Art Deco design.
Onu’s interpretation transforms the ancient narrative into a streamlined modern allegory, elevating the scene into an expressive celebration of motion, grace, and strength. The woman’s determined reach and the stag’s bounding escape are caught in a moment of perfect balance, lending the sculpture both tension and fluidity. The design stands apart from the more common Art Deco bookend pairs, with each figure rendered as a fully developed sculpture, making this duo exceptional both individually and together.
Rarely signed, this example bears the artist's name delicately inscribed in the bronze just above the marble base. The silvery finish, sharp modeling, and architectural base structure create a compelling centerpiece suitable for collectors of myth-inspired Art Deco sculpture or anyone drawn to its refined theatricality.
Aurore Onu
Born in Bucharest, Romania, and moved to Paris in the 1920s. There she met the sculptor Marcel André Bouraine and became his companion (at this time they were neighbors of Pierre Le Faguays).
