Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
NAPOLEON III STYLE
Under Napoleon III’s rule, Paris underwent a great rebuilding overseen by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, which created grand avenues and lavish landmarks like the Paris Opera. Antique Napoleon III–style furniture was flamboyant and eclectic. It was also known as Second Empire style since it followed and referenced the Empire style of his uncle Napoleon I.
Developing from 1852–70, Napoleon III furniture was plush and ornate, matching the fashion for masked balls and socializing in salons. It borrowed freely from earlier French styles including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI as well as aesthetics from around the world, from antiquity to Asian art. As writer Gustave Claudin remarked in 1867, the country’s architects worked in “a style which one would be tempted to call neo-Greco-Gothico-Pompadour-Pompeian.”
Napoleon III chairs were completely covered with velvet and lined with tassels; pouf footstools invited people to put up their feet. Sofas were upholstered with tapestries, and beds were adorned with gilt bronze and theatrical canopies. The addition of conservatories to homes led to new indoor-outdoor furniture, while the spirit of hygiene promoted by Baron Haussmann inspired bright, floral motifs.
Although the most ostentatious designs were for the elite, as seen in the Napoleon III apartments preserved in the Louvre, where red velvet, gilding and chandeliers create a cacophony of luxury, these trends influenced homes across classes as manufacturing made design increasingly accessible. Papier-mâché furniture allowed for elaborate shapes that would have been difficult to carve in wood. The malleable material was painted with chinoiserie patterns and decorative designs. It was mass-produced by factories such as Jennens and Bettridge with varnishing and mother-of-pearl inlays creating an effect reminiscent of Asian lacquer. (Surfaces that had been “japanned” — a specialty of Jennens and Bettridge — were intended to resemble lacquer work that was created in East Asia.)
Find a collection of antique Napoleon III decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
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Style: Napoleon III
Bronze Sculpture - Horse - France - 19th Century
Located in CANNES, FR
Bronze sculpture representing a moving horse Signed on the Delabrièrre terrace * Delgorge founder's stamp and lost wax France late 19th century * Édouard Delabrièrre born in Paris on...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Sculpture of a Stag in Freedom by Aignon, Sculptor, Napoleon III Period.
By Christophe Gaignon
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Gilded bronze sculpture of a stag in freedom by Aignon, sculptor, 19th century, Napoleon III period.
A gilt bronze sculpture of a stag in freedom by Aignon, sculptor, marble base, 1...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Sculpture in Patinated Bronze, Animal Statue Representing a Pheasant, 1920-1930.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture in Patinated Bronze, Animal Statue representing a Pheasant, 1920-1930.
Patinated bronze sculpture on marble base, 1920-1930, representing a pheasant, Napoleon III style.
H...
Category
20th Century French Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Sculpture in Patinated Plaster by the Artist Capovani, Early 20th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture in Patinated Plaster by the Artist Capovani, Early 20th Century.
Animal sculpture representing a Lion striking down a snake by Capovani in plaster with a bronze patina, ea...
Category
Early 20th Century European Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Plaster
Empire Style Watch-holder, 19th Century, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Empire style watch-holder, 19th century, Napoleon III period.
Empire style patinated bronze and onyx watch-holder, 19th century, Napoleon III period.
H: 26cm, W: 29cm, D: 15cm
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Onyx, Bronze
Pair of 19th Century French Carved Oak Wall Panels with Pheasants in Gilt Frames
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a man's office, a ranch or a hunting lodge with this pair of elegant antique wall plaques. Crafted in France circa 1870 and built of oak ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Oak, Giltwood
Bronze Sculpture of a Walking Horse, 20th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze sculpture of a walking horse, 20th century.
Bronze sculpture of a merchant horse, brown patina, 20th century, signed J.Migniez.
h: 35cm , w: 35cm, d: 14cm
Category
20th Century French Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Bronze sculpture "Combat de Cerfs".
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze sculpture "Combat de Cerfs".
Bronze sculpture in the Napoleon III style, 20th century, Le Combat des Cerfs.
Dimensions: H: 26cm, W: 46cm, D: 13cm
Category
20th Century French Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Bronze Sculpture , Hunting Dogs Assaulting the Wild Boar.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
" Bronze Sculpture , Hunting Dogs Assaulting the Wild Boar. "
Bronze sculpture in the Napoleon III style, 20th century, the hunting dogs attacking the wild boar, green patina.
H: 33...
Category
20th Century French Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Gilt and Patinated Bronze Jockey on A Horse, 19th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
A french "Jockey à cheval" in patinated bronze figure of a gil jockey and his faithful mount on a marble base.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
19th Century bronze Sculpture of Whippet by Pierre Jules Mene
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
19th Century bronze Sculpture of Whippet by Pierre Jules Mene on green marble base. Beautiful piece and condition.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Napoleon III Bronze Hunter Camel and Dog circa 1890
Located in Labrit, Landes
French bronze hunter camel and dog statue.
Very nice treatment of the subject in a detailed and nervous classic style with a high quality of details.
V...
Category
1890s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French Marble Monkey Sculpture, End 19th C
By Paris Studio
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French marble sculpture, France, end 19th C. Monkey smoking a pipe. Marble and glass. Glass eyes. Measures: height : 9.8"(25cm), width : 6.7"(17cm), depth : 4.4"(11.2cm). Some slight...
Category
1890s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble
19th Century Animal Bronze L'accolade
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze sculpture with brown patina L'accolade featuring two hugging horses and a dog on a naturalist base highlighted with flowers. The dog is barking at the horses. The group rests on a gilt bronze fluted base...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Griotte Marble, Bronze
After Christophe Fratin (Signed), Grooming 12 Point Stag in Patinated Bronze
Located in Morristown, NJ
After Christophe Fratin (French 1801-1864), a majestic 12 point stag in brown patinated cast bronze, modeled with head turned to towards hind, inscribed "FRATIN", and mounted to a re...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
French Napoleon III Spelter Athena Statuette circa 1890
Located in Labrit, Landes
French Art Nouveau spelter Athena statue.
Very nice treatment of the subject in a detailed and nervous classic style with a high quality of details. Ver...
Category
1890s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Spelter
Large Bronze Sculpture of an Injured Lioness, by Charles Valton, France
Located in Saverne, Grand Est
Large bronze animal sculpture with brown patina representing an injured lioness. Exceptional quality, magnificent patina, in perfect con...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pierre Jules Mene Bronze Sitting Hound, c1860
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Mid 19th Century Pierre Jules Mene Bronze Sitting Hound, c1860
Additional information:
Date : c1860
Period : Napoleon III
Origin : Paris, Fr...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Equestrian Bronze, Seated Jockey, P.J. Mene
By P.J. Mêne
Located in Doylestown, PA
A late 19th century equestrian bronze of a jockey on horseback by Pierre Jules Mene (1810-1879) signed "P.J.Mene" on the bronze base and mounted on r...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Antique Hand Carved Bowl, Peasant Couple, Napoleon III., 1840s-1850s
Located in Greven, DE
Unique antique hand carved bowl made of wood.
France, mid 19th century.
The small bowl was used in former households as a salt oder herb bowl, which was placed in the middle of t...
Category
1840s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Paire De Carlins En Porcelaine Allemande Xixème Siècle
Located in TOULOUSE, FR
Paire de carlins en porcelaine polychrome allemande .
Manufacture de Pössneck en Thuringe ( Conta et Boehme ) .
La femelle de couleur marron le mâle blanc et noir .
Grands modè...
Category
Late 19th Century German Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Bronze Group With Brown Patina Mare And Her Foal By Pierre Jules Mène
Located in VERSAILLES, FR
Pierre-Jules Mène Paris (1810 - 1879)
Jument et son poulain à la corbeille d'avoine
Très beau petit groupe en bronze à double patine brun clair et brun foncé. On peut admirer certains détails mis en relief par une ciselure très fine et très habile. Pierre Jules Mène est né à Paris le 25 mars 1810 et il y est mort le 20 mai 1879. Célèbre à travers le monde entier pour ses sculptures animalières, Il était le beau-père du sculpteur Auguste Cain (1821-1894), qui fut son collaborateur.
Cette très belle épreuve est ancienne, elle est d'époque fin du XIXème siècle.
Elle est signée 'P J MENE' sur la terrasse à droite. La patine est authentique et présente de légères nuances.
Hauteur : 8 Largeur : 15 Profondeur : 7,50 cm
Bibliographie en rapport :
Michel Poletti et Alain Richarme, 'Pierre-Jules Mêne, catalogue raisonné', Paris, 2007, p. 83 , modèle référencé sous le n...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French 19th Century Gilded Bronze Dog Fremiet & Barbedienne
Located in Newark, England
Fine 19th century French gilded bronze model of a dog. The bronze beautifully cast by renowned French sculptor Emmanuel Frémiet. Cast as a recumberant Samoyed on an elongasted oval b...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of 19th Century, French Carved Oak Wall Door Panels in Gilt Frames
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a man's office with this pair of elegant antique panels. Crafted in France, circa 1870, and made of oak, the sculpted elements are decorated with exquisite carvings in high ...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Oak, Giltwood
Bronze Animal, Signed E.Vrillard, Shepherd Dog in Invitation to Play Posture
Located in CRÉTEIL, FR
Charming animal bronze representing a shepherd's dog in a playful posture.
Very beautiful cast and chased, sublimated by a terrace of cherry red marble.
Period : End of 19th cent...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Bronze Jules Moigniez Figurative Animal Sculpture of Two Pheasants
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This wonderfully playful French animaliers study of two pheasants eating wheat has a nice golden patina and finely finished hand chased surface detail, r...
Category
Mid-19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Christophe Fratin "walking monkey" Bronze, Signed, XIXth Edition
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Christophe Fratin (1801-1864) "walking monkey"
bronze, signed, signature of the founder Qyesnel
XIXth edition.
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Bronze and Marble Bookends Barking Dogs from E Drouot, France c. 1890
Located in Labrit, Landes
Pair of Edouard Drouot bookends representing barking dogs
Marble and Bronze, made in France
Dimensions of each piece W 5.71 in. (14.5 cm) D 5.12 in. (13 cm) H 7.49 in. (19 cm)
Ver...
Category
1890s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Antique Bronze Dog Figure by Pierre-Jules Mene
Located in London, GB
Pierre-Jules Mene (1810-1879) was one of the foremost animalier sculptors of the 19th Century, and achieved high distinction in the art of making small bron...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Set of Four Handcrafted Cast Bronze Lion Feet with Gothic Dragon Wings
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning set of four 19th century, large bronze claw feet from a table or otherwise.
This large and impressive set of four top quality crafted bronze claw feet must have been unde...
Category
19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Napoleon III Whimsical Bronze of a Playful Dog & Cat
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Napoleon III whimsical bronze of a playful dog & cat, Nice detail, fine casting of a dog and cat engaged in play on incised brick floor, unsigned.
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Ferdinand Barbedienne Bronze Boy & Goose Sculpture 19th Century
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A finely patinated French antique bronze by Ferdinand Barbedienne portraying a a young boy caressing a large goose. The figure is mounted on an angled and shaped base and is signed '...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Large Huntsman with His Hounds Bronze Sculpture by PJ Mene, 1869
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting an absolutely stunning large Huntsman with his hounds bronze sculpture by PJ Mene 1869.
This is a large sculpture weighing over 175 lbs.
It featur...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bronze Inkwell Sculpture "Les Moutons à L'abreuvoir" by Jules Moigniez
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze inkwell sculpture with nuanced brown patination. Two ink pots are cleverly hidden at either end of the sculpture: One in the stump of the tree and the other under a rock. Moig...
Category
19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Bronze
19th Century French Napoleon III Bronze Fireguard with Hercules and Lion Motif
Located in Dallas, TX
French Napoleon III bronze fireguard from the 19th century. The fireguard has finely cast and chassed bronze figures of a lioness and cub on the left side with a lion and snake...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of 19th Century French Patinated Bronze Models of the Marly Horses
Located in New York, NY
Pair of 19th century French patinated bronze models of the Marly Horses.
Category
1870s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Fine and Small Antique Bronze of a Packhorse by T. Gechner
Located in London, GB
A fine mid-19th century brown patinated cast bronze animalier figure of a work horse in harness. Very fine detail and a beautiful quality bronze. Signed in the bronze T. Gechter for ...
Category
1850s French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Jules Moigniez Bronze Sculpture of Three Sheep and a Lamb
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Bronze grouping of sheep with a nuanced brown patination. Moigniez' intricate work on the surface of the piece created a true-to-life rendering of the sheep's fleece. The group is se...
Category
Mid-19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Bronze Study by Charles Virion a Figural Study of a Pheasant Family and a Snail
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Study in Bronze of a family of pheasants surrounding a snail, signed with foundry mark.
Charles Louis Eugène Virion (1865-1946) was a no...
Category
Mid-19th Century European Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Equestrian Bronze, Thoroughbred Racehorse by J. Moigniez
Located in Doylestown, PA
A late 19th century equestrian bronze of thoroughbred racehorse with saddle by Jules Moigniez (1835-1894) signed "J. MOIGNIEZ" on the bronze base and...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Napoleon III Animal Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Napoleon Iii animal sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Napoleon III animal sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Early 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage animal sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, folk art and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Napoleon III animal sculptures made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Germany pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original animal sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Pierre Jules Mêne, Jules Moigniez, Emmanuel Fremiet, and Ferdinand Barbedienne. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for animal sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $488 and tops out at $18,000 while the average work can sell for $2,475.