Marius Jean Antonin Mercié

David Vainqueur De Goliath By Antonin Mercié

Circa 1894-1910

Salvador Dalí 1904-1989 Spanish Vénus de Milo aux tiroirs (Venus de Milo with drawers) Signed "Salvador Dalí EA III/IV" (on base) Bronze One of th...

One of a series of sculpted dancers created by the incomparable Edgar Degas, this exceptional bronze exudes all of the expressivity one expects from this 20th-century great. Degas captures the essence of his model in the graceful work, as she strikes a particularly difficult pose of the arabesque. The dancer's features have been manipulated and simplified, executed in a manner that seems almost as if one of Degas' Impressionist canvases has come to life. Degas was obsessed with capturing the dancer in motion throughout his career. He rendered their grace and movement in oil, pastel, pencil, chalk and wax - in fact, of the seventy-four wax sculptures created by Degas during his lifetime, forty of them depicted dancers. Seven of these belong to his series that capture the various forms of the arabesque, and the present work is included among them. It details one of the most difficult and animated poses of the ballet. Degas’ dancer is precariously posed in a study of balance and motion, one leg gracefully thrust into the air as she tilts her body down towards the earth and extends her arm forward. The sense of her movement is perfectly captured in the extraordinary work, as well as the fluid lines of her body. The bronze is a sought-after rarity in terms of Degas’ sculptures. Not only are his dancers the most desirable of his work, but this bronze is also distinguished by the fact that it is a Valsuani bronze, meaning it faithfully records Degas’ wax version’s pose as it appeared at the time of its creation. Most Degas' bronzes that are found on the market were cast by Hébrard – these serialized bronzes are surmoulages, or “aftercasts,” that were cast from the modèle bronzes currently in the Norton Simon Museum (Pasadena). Because these bronzes are second generation, they are smaller and far less detailed that the current bronze. This example, however, was cast by Valsuani from a plaster that was taken directly from Degas’ waxes, according to scholarship by the art historian Dr. Gregory Hedberg. These plasters were created by Degas’ sculptor friend Albert Bartholomé shortly after Degas completed his wax figurines. Thus, they record the earliest versions of Degas’ wax sculptures, before they were damaged by time or handling, and before Degas himself altered the works. The Hébrard bronzes...

Beautifully detailed and lifelike, Venus and Cupid share a soft embrace in this remarkable Italian white marble sculpture. The feminine beauty gracefully leans against roughened rock...

Ivor Roberts-Jones 1916-1996 British Sir Winston Churchill Artist Proof Bronze with a green patina One of the greatest leaders of the modern world, Winston Churchill is among the...

Adriaen de Vries 1556-1626 Dutch Laocoön and His Sons Bronze A remarkable feat of artistry and skill, this bronze sculpture was created by famed Dutch artist Adriaen de Vries. Full of the swelling emotions and dramatic posing so quintessential to the period, the bronze is a masterclass in Baroque sculpture. The original Laocoön marble sculpture, after which this remarkable bronze was modeled, unquestionably influenced the lives and works of countless artists, authors, popes, kings and emperors since its re-discovery in 1506. Famously, Michelangelo declared the sculpture, created circa 35 BC, as the “greatest piece of art in the world.” Adriaen de Vries, an apprentice of the great sculptor Giambologna, undoubtedly sought to prove his skill and creative voice with his own depiction of this most famous scene. Known for his virtuosic casting technique, this rare and important sculpture embodies de Vries’ mastery. The story of Laocoön is one of the most famous in all of literature. As told by the poet Virgil, the Greeks, after an unsuccessful ten-year siege on the city of Troy, the Greeks craftily left a giant wooden horse outside the gates...

Infused with a crisp modernity and subtle sensuality, this bronze sculpture by Cuban-born artist Agustin Cárdenas is an exceptional example of late-2...

Agustín Cárdenas Le Repos Passionné, 1989 Bronze. Ed. 7/7 60 x 145 x 51.5 cm 23.6 x 57 x 20.2 in. The artwork is accompanied by a certificate of aut...

Roman verdigris bronze oil lamp. Flying cranes with running Mercury. After the original found in Pompeii. This lamp base would originally have had small oil lamps...

Grand tour circa 1860s bronze of the Wrestlers. Rich fine dark brown patina. Marked "F. Barbedienne Fondeur." The Wrestlers also known as The Two Wrestlers, The Uffizi Wrestlers...

Neoclassical bronze sculpture of a young Bacchus and fawn making an offering Elias Hutter. Very fine casting with a rich patina. Early to...

This bronze sculpture is an exquisitely detailed representation of the god Dionysos, whose cult was one of the most popular in ancient times. Here, the god is nude, with a mantle that gently lies on his right leg. He is holding a bunch of grapes with his left hand, and a rhyton (drinking horn) with the right. The god is youthful and joyfully gazes forwards, with a crown of ivy leaves set upon his long flowing hair. These features clearly resemble those of the life-size Roman marble sculpture of Dionysos exhibited at the British Museum, acc. no. 1861,0725.2 . This statuette was probably part of a larger composition and used as a decorative element applied to a piece of furniture. Its finely wrought details, as well as the attractive olive-green patina led to its inclusion in the collection of the Fitchburg Art Museum for thirty years. PROVENANCE English Private Collection (Sotheby’s, London 17-18 July 1985, Lot 204) Royal Athena...

This series consists of bronze casting figures in 5 different postures. The surface can be selected as either copper patina or silver patina. It's actually a deep jump into the unkno...