This exquisite bronze sculpture by Jean Dunand depicts a cobra attacking its prey. Both Dunand and Brandt explored serpent motifs within the broader Orientalist vocabulary of the period. The 1920s wave of Egyptomania, ignited by the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, made the cobra—emblematic of the Egyptian royal uraeus—a potent symbol of exoticism and power and an increasingly prominent decorative theme. Though Dunand is best known for his pioneering work in lacquer, his training as a sculptor is evident in the incisive modeling of the snakes, and his assured handling of metal underscores his technical mastery. Each serpent was cast in bronze, its scales meticulously chased. This model was likely produced in a limited edition for discerning collectors, embodying the era’s fascination with both technical virtuosity and ancient iconography. This sculpture is also in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
