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F. Barbedienne Foundry Abstract Sculptures

French

Founded by one-time Parisian wallpaper dealer Ferdinand Barbedienne and engineer Achille Collas, one of the most revered foundries in 19th-century France began with the invention of a revolutionary 1830s-era device that could produce proportional reproductions — large or small — of sculptures. Collas’s machine, which yielded miniature likenesses of antiquities for the interiors of homes the world over, was pivotal to the success of the F. Barbedienne Foundry. The successful firm earned prestigious awards and critical acclaim and created exquisite bronze candleholders, clocks and lamps for a range of wealthy and prominent clients.

The duo first launched their company under the name Société Collas et Barbedienne, and early on, they optimized chemical processes for pigmenting and patinating their bronze statuettes. After Collas died in 1859, Barbedienne forged on alone, and the company’s name changed to simply F. Barbedienne.

Barbedienne employed more than 300 workers at that point, and the Maison created a range of furnishings and decorative objects that featured the integration of marble and ormolu accents. However, with the onset of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the foundry was forced to retrofit its molds, and the production of cannons replaced sculptures, furniture and vases.

When Ferdinand Barbedienne passed away in 1891, his nephew and heir, Gustave Leblanc, took over as president, changing the name to Leblanc-Barbedienne. Leblanc expanded production into Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, carrying on the company's legacy with monumental sculptures, and models and securing production rights for famous statues. Paul-Alexandre Dumas, an Art Nouveau maker and student of Louis Majorelle, succeeded Leblanc until the company's closing in 1952.

Barbedienne pieces had been exhibited regularly in the 19th century and were especially prevalent at Europe’s international expositions and world’s fairs, where they received numerous awards. Today, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris holds dozens of Barbedienne works in its collection, including intricate mirrors, vases and cups created by Louis-Constant Sévin at the foundry. For more than two decades, Sévin created lamps, boxes and more at Maison Barbedienne. Working alongside award-winning chaser Désiré Attarge, Sévin designed Napoleon III-era works that greatly appealed to European nobility.

Other notable artists who collaborated with Barbedienne included Eugene Aizelin, Emmanuel Fremiet, Antonin Mercié, Emile Guillemin, Edouard Lievre, Ferdinand Levillain and Auguste Rodin.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Barbedienne decorative objects, lighting and collectibles.

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Creator: F. Barbedienne Foundry
19th Century Gloria Victis bronze statue, By Barbedienne.
By F. Barbedienne Foundry, J.A. Mercie 1
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very impressive 19th Century patinated bronze statue of 'Gloria Victis' with gilded highlights. Raised on a marble plinth. Signed; A MERCIE Stamped; F. BARBEDIENNE Gloria Victis wa...
Category

19th Century French Antique F. Barbedienne Foundry Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Gloria Victis bronze statue, By Barbedienne.
19th Century Gloria Victis bronze statue, By Barbedienne.

19th Century Gloria Victis bronze statue, By Barbedienne.

A large pair French 19th century patinated bronze figural torchès
By François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint, F. Barbedienne Foundry
Located in Brighton, Sussex
François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint (1806-1862) A large pair of French mid-19th century gilt and patinated bronze figural torchères: Esclave Indien and Esclave Indienne cast by F. Barbedienne (before 1869) from models by Toussaint dated 1850 the male and female figures each holding aloft glass flame shades, on panelled chamfered rectangular black marble plinths, the bronze pedestals of cylindrical baluster form with acanthus leaf collars and four engaged foliate scroll corbel supports with fluted ornament, on circular socles cast in the form of ribbon-bound laurel garlands, each signed A.Toussaint 1850 and Fondeur F.Barbedienne, 36cm wide, 36cm deep, 217cm high (14in wide, 14in deep, 85in high). the figures 112cm high (44in high Armand Toussaint first exhibited a plaster model at the 1847 Salon in Paris entitled "Un esclave indien portant une torche" along with its female pendant...
Category

Mid-19th Century French Antique F. Barbedienne Foundry Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

A large pair French 19th century patinated bronze figural torchès
A large pair French 19th century patinated bronze figural torchès

A large pair French 19th century patinated bronze figural torchès

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F. Barbedienne Foundry abstract sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

F. Barbedienne Foundry abstract sculptures are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of F. Barbedienne Foundry abstract sculptures, although gold editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider abstract sculptures by Arman, Roger Capron, and Claude Viseux. Prices for F. Barbedienne Foundry abstract sculptures can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $39,796 and can go as high as $110,100, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $74,948.

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