1870s Statues

A fine and rare terra-cotta figure of Flora in contrapposto pose, classically robed with hair swept up and in curls, with a floral wreath in the figure’s proper right hand, and a nos...

F. Barbedienne fonduer Ferdinand Barbedienne (6 August 1810 – 21 March 1892) was a French metalworker and manufacturer, who was well known as a bronze founder. The son of a small farmer from Calvados, he started his career as a dealer in wallpaper in Paris. In 1838 he went into partnership with Achille Collas (1795-1859), who had just invented a machine to create miniature bronze replicas of statues. Together they started a business selling miniatures of antique statues from museums all over Europe, thus democratising art and making it more accessible to households.[2] From 1843 they extended their scope by reproducing the work of living artists and also diversified by making enamelled household objects. With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 the firm briefly had to switch to cannon founding owing to the shortage of metals but resumed business afterwards. Following Barbedienne's death in 1892, he was buried in the Père-Lachaise cemetery and the firm was carried on by his nephew Gustave Leblanc until 1952. Among the principal artists reproduced by the firm were Antoine Louis Barye and Auguste Rodin. The Dying Galata (Italian: Galata morente...

19th century Bronze Napoleon statue on footed marble base depicts Napoleon in full battle regalia at the Butte de Lion during the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. Many feel it to...

A fine and rare pair of stoneware figures representing Commerce and Knowledge, possibly produced by Doulton & Co. of Lambeth, England, the figure of Knowledge depicted as a youth, classically robed and seated on a tree trunk, with open book in proper left hand and stylus in proper right hand, the figure of Commerce depicted as a youthful Hermes, the Greek god of trade, commerce and communications, partially draped, wearing a winged helmet and holding a caduceus, standing alongside a barrel topped with a book and a money pouch, English, ca. 1870. Each figure 47 ins. high. Knowledge 20 ins. wide, 16 ins. deep. Commerce 20 ins. wide, 16 ins. deep. On associated composition stone square pedestals...