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Baccarat - Baccarat x RMN -- Francois Pompon ”Black Bear, ” midnight crystal. BACCARAT (French) -- Francois Pompon ”Black Bear” (L'Ours), Midnight Black Crystal Sculpture, RMN Collection, with Original Box and Leaflet A striking Baccarat full-lead crystal sculpture in midnight black, modeled as a walking bear with head lowered -- the pared-down, smooth-surfaced form that made Francois Pompon (1855-1933) one of the defining animal sculptors of the Art Deco period. Pompon, a wood and stone carver who worked as an assistant to Rodin, achieved fame at 67 when his monumental White Bear was shown at the 1922 Salon d'Automne; that work now resides at the Musee d'Orsay, with the plaster at the Paris Museum. His Black Bear and Young Owl are the companion designs. Produced by Baccarat under license from the Reunion des Musees Nationaux (RMN), the French Union of National Museums, in a crystal edition taken from the original moulds of the RMN ”Atelier de Moulage.” Polished to a deep, near-opaque black with a mirror finish; the interior shows the plum-violet transmission characteristic of Baccarat's black crystal when held to strong light. Marks: Double-signed on the underside of the paw pads -- engraved Baccarat script signature on one paw, the etched RMN Collection logo on another, and the impressed circular museum seal on a third. Condition: Excellent. No chips, cracks, flakes or repairs. Light surface handling marks consistent with careful storage; interior with minimal seed bubbles inherent to the medium. Retains its high factory polish throughout. Accompanied by: Original red Baccarat presentation box with RMN Collection co-branding, fitted foam bed, Baccarat cloth pouch, the Baccarat/RMN Collection leaflet on Francois Pompon (English and French), the Baccarat booklet, and the anti-scratch adhesive patch card. A complete, as-issued presentation. Modern French decorative arts. Late 20th/early 21st century.