Anamilier Bronze Entitled "Greyhound and King Charles Spaniel" by P J Mêne

An excellent late 19th Century French Animalier bronze group of a setter and pointer trying to flush out a pheasant with excellent rich brown patina and very fine hand chased surfac...

Very fine mid-19th century French Animalier bronze study of a standing Setter with excellent hand chased surface detail and rich brown patination. Raised on a stepped naturalistic base, signed J Moigniez. Additional information: Height: 19 cm Width: 34 cm Condition: excellent original condition Circa: 1870 Materials: bronze Book reference: Les Animaliers by Jane Horswell Page no. 237 About Jules Moigniez (French, 1835 ~ 1894) Moigniez was a French animalier sculptor of the 19th century. He worked primarily in bronze and frequently exhibited his sculptures at the Paris salon. He was best known for his bronzes depicting birds, although his skill and versatility enabled him to produce quality horse sculptures (primarily racehorses), dog sculptures and hunting scenes. His bird sculptures were among the finest ever created in his time. Moigniez was born at Senlis, Oise, France in 1835, the son of a metal gilder. Moigniez’s father bought a foundry to cast his sculptures, which was of great benefit to Moigniez as he didn’t have the added foundry costs that most of his contemporaries had to pay. Moigniez studied sculpture under the tutelage of Paul Comoléra (a student of François Rude) in Paris. It is quite likely that Moigniez’s attraction to bird sculpture was a direct result of his education under Comoléra, who was himself a bird specialist. Over the course of his 40-year sculpting career Moigniez exhibited thirty works at the Salon between 1855–92. His first submission in a major art exhibition was his plaster, Pointer Stopping at a Pheasant, at the Exposition Universelle of 1855.[1][2] Moigniez was known for the fine detail and chiseling of his sculptures. His bronzes—usually cast using the lost wax method—were always immaculately chased and patinated, and were especially popular in England and Scotland.[2] More than half of his output during his lifetime was sold in the United Kingdom. By the end of the 19th century, his sculpture had become popular in the United States as well. In contrast with other animaliers of the period such are P.J. Mêne and Antoine-Louis Barye, Moigniez’s bird sculptures often incorporated highly detailed bases complete with bushes, extensive foliage and undergrowth. His castings were generally of excellent quality with a variety of patinas, the gilded and silvered patinas being the most desirable and sought after by collectors. His bronzes could be reproached for an excess of detail, a result of overly-finicky, over-worked chiseling. Moigniez received redemption, however, by portraying in his sculpture a certain “elegance of attitudes”. His Chien braque...

Dark brown patination on an oval base designed as a carpet with a fan, signed P.J. MÊNE.

PIERRE JULES MÊNE French, 1810-1879 "Chien Braque Assis Gardant un Lapin" (1850) Sand-cast patinated bronze signature captured in cast "P.J. MÊNE" cast ...