A rare and highly important Art Deco chryselephantine sculpture titled Leaving the Opera (also known as Dourge), by celebrated Romanian sculptor Demetre Chiparus, circa 1925.

The sculpture depicts a fashionable young woman descending marble steps, pulling her long fur-lined coat tightly around herself. Her elegant bobbed hairstyle and refined hair ornament reflect the height of Parisian fashion in the 1920s, a defining hallmark of Chiparus’ work. The pose conveys movement, sophistication, and theatrical glamour, inspired by the Paris Opera and Ballets Russes.

Executed in the chryselephantine technique, the piece masterfully combines a finely patinated bronze body with delicately carved ivory face and hands. The figure is mounted on a stepped marble base with natural veining and bears an inscribed signature to the base. An exceptional example from Chiparus’ most sought-after period.

Height: Approx. 23 cm
Period: Circa 1925
Materials: Bronze, carved ivory, marble base
Technique: Chryselephantine
Signature: Signed to base