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A Fine Patinated Bronze Sporting Group, By Emmanuel Fremiet, Circa 1910

Name: A Fine Patinated Bronze Sporting Group, By Emmanuel Fremiet, Circa 1910
Brand: Emmanuel Fremiet
Rating: 5 (11 reviews)

About the Item

Emmanuel Frémiet (1824–1910) Chevaux de Course et Jockeys (Two Racehorses and Jockeys) France, circa 1910 Signed: E. Frémiet Foundry mark: F. Barbedienne A fine, richly patinated bronze sporting group by the leading French animalier sculptor Emmanuel Frémiet, depicting two thoroughbred racehorses mounted by jockeys in animated forward motion. The composition captures the taut musculature of the horses and the poised control of the riders with the anatomical precision and naturalistic observation that define Frémiet’s mature oeuvre. First exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1885 and again at the Exposition Universelle of 1889, the model achieved immediate acclaim and was subsequently shown internationally, including Antwerp (1885) and Copenhagen (1888). It has been described as “one of the finest models of this subject to be found in animalier sculpture” (Horswell). Art critic Jacques de Biez wrote in 1896 that Frémiet’s racing subjects were more than decorative sculpture, calling them historical documents distinguished by scientific observation and typological authority. This fusion of zoological accuracy and artistic vitality places the present work among the most significant equestrian sporting bronzes of the late 19th century. The master model is preserved in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon (inv. no. 4188). The Barbedienne foundry acquired the model in 1910 and cast a documented edition of twenty-two bronzes between 1911 and 1912, situating this example within a tightly controlled, early post-acquisition production closely associated with the sculptor’s lifetime. Exhibited (Model) Paris, Salon, 1885, no. 3707 Paris, Exposition Universelle, 1889, no. 1856 Literature Jacques de Biez, Un maître imagier, E. Frémiet, Paris, 1896, p. 71 J. Horswell, Bronze Sculpture of “Les Animaliers”, Woodbridge, 1971, p. 185 C. Chevillot, Emmanuel Frémiet: La main et le multiple, Dijon, 1988, S127, p. 95 F. Rionnet, Les Bronzes Barbedienne, Paris, 2015, p. 329, cat. 828 About the Artist Emmanuel Frémiet, nephew and pupil of François Rude, stands alongside Barye as one of the most important sculptors of the French animalier tradition. His early training in anatomical and osteological drawing informed a lifelong commitment to scientific accuracy, reinforced by his study of zoology and his appointment in 1875 as professor at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. Renowned for both animal and equestrian subjects, Frémiet’s major public monuments include Jeanne d’Arc (Place des Pyramides, Paris), Saint Michael Slaying the Dragon (Mont-Saint-Michel), and numerous imperial and historical equestrian statues. His works entered major French museum collections during his lifetime, and he received the Médaille d’Honneur (1887), the Grand Prix (1900), and progressive promotions within the Légion d’Honneur, ultimately becoming Grand Officer. Frémiet’s sporting subjects are particularly prized for their dynamic realism and documentary value, representing the intersection of fine art, zoological study, and the culture of modern sport in late 19th-century France.

Creator:
Emmanuel Fremiet (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 18.51 in (47 cm)Width: 22.05 in (56 cm)Depth: 9.06 in (23 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze,Patinated
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Early 20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1910
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brighton, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: B785201stDibs: LU1028048616362

Shop All Emmanuel Fremiet

Emmanuel Fremiet

Emmanuel Frémiet was born in Paris, France in 1824 and was brought into an upper middle-class family that had very close ties to the world of art. His family was filled with great artists and this included his Cousin Sophie who married a famous sculptor called Francois Rude. Emmanuel’s mother was also an accomplished artist who constantly encouraged him and brought him up into the world of art. At the age of five, he was already was receiving formal training in art in a private school. The start at a young age meant he was able to be accepted at the spectacular Ecole des Arts Decoratifs School at the age of sixteen. Throughout this period he learned everything he needed to then become employed by Werner as his head lithographer within a year, whose duties were to prepare drawings of both animals and men. After a long period of convincing by Sophie and Emmanuel, Francois Rude took Emmanuel as a pupil in his studio to further his learning in modeling and sculpture work. Throughout his young life, he spent a lot of time in zoological gardens and participated in dissections of any animals which had passed away during this time. By the age of seven, he had been exposed to a wide range of different wild animals. To further Emmanuel’s path in art, he was appointed the successor of Antoine Louis Barye as Professor of Drawing after Antoine’s death in 1875. With this new position and like many other great sculptors, he spent a lot of time studying and drawing at the morgue and even went to various embalmers across Paris. This was all of his training to give him the exact measurements and to be able to reproduce the muscle and bone structure of the many men and animals that he witnessed. His first sculpture was exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1843 when he was nineteen and he continued to exhibit his magnificent sculptures for the rest of his life at the Salon. He was even awarded various medals and awards from many of his pieces. As he began with the bronze sculptures, he made many small animal bronzes with very fine detail which are nowadays highly sought after by collectors and museums alike. There were many sculptors during this time that crafted pieces in which showed a cruel nature, but Emmanuel was known for the soft and gentle pieces of work which often were amusing. At the age of twenty-five, he was to receive more commissions than any other sculptor before or during his time. It became near impossible to be able to walk the streets without seeing one of Emmanuel’s many smaller bronze sculptures. This amazing sculptor continued crafting works, but also proceeded to train new sculptors, taking on near twenty pupils each time. Unfortunately, this great sculptor passed away in 1910.