Antique French Bronze Sculpture “Joan of Arc” after Henri Chapu by Bar

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Antique French Bronze Sculpture “Joan of Arc” after Henri Chapu by Bar

About the Item

During the last quarter of the 19th century, a broad movement of Romanticism artists were putting forth works of historical "celebrities", a topic that deeply resounded with sentiments of the time. When Chapu completed this work, originally in marble, he exhibited it at a highly opportune moment on the eve of the disastrous Franco-Prussian war, a moment of flagging morale when France was greatly in need of a heroine of her proportions to rescue the flagging morale. She was an almost immediate success, Chapu's first great triumph, and was first exhibited in sculpted marble at Salon in 1872, this original is held at the Musee du Luxembourg. Later being offered by the F. Barbedienne foundry, most of these editions retailed between the years of 1875-1890, they offered several edition sizes: 117 cm, 72 cm, 60 cm, 47 cm, 36 cm, 30 cm and 23 cm. An 1872 example founded by F. Barbedienne in the 117 cm edition is held at the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. The present example is a finished in a lovely brown patina, preserved under wax and clearly in outstanding condition. She is of utmost precision, every line and detail flawlessly chased and filed with great skill, the result being an inspiring portrayal of Joan of Arc. She is depicted as a simple shepherdess of a Lorraine village, her hands clasped in prayer as she firmly looks into the horizon, facing her destiny with a resolute strength. She believed that during these prayers she received the instruction to save France, at the time swallowed in The Hundred Years War. As she sits in repose on the naturalistic base, supported by nothing and in what should likely be a somewhat uncomfortable pose, she is relaxed and at ease with herself, in this, Chapu displays a mastery of the human figure that few of his school could command. The work is signed along the edge "Chapu" and along the back "F. Barbedienne Fondeur" with the seal of credit to the A. Collas mechanism for reduction. Born in Le Mee (Seine-et-Marne) in September of 1833, Henri Michel Antoine Chapu was something of a rags-to-riches story of success, eventually becoming one of the official court sculptors of the Third Republic. He began his studies at Petit Ecole, later studying under Pradier and Duret when he joined Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1849. He spent some years in Rome, where he won the second grand prize for sculpture (Prix de Rome) and garnered his largest commercial success upon exhibiting the present example in 1872. He spent most of his professional life in Paris, eventually being elected as a member of the Institute in 1880. He died in Paris in April of 1891. Literature & further reading: Art Bronzes, Forrest, p. 39, fig. 2.65 - "Joan of Arc at Doremy" circa 1875 with accompanying text Bronzes: Sculptors and Founders vol III, Berman, p. 687, f. 2523 - "Jeanne D'Arc - Enfant" circa 1880 Bronzes D'Art F. Barbedienne, Paris, 1886 edition, p. 47 Bronzes of the 19th century: Dictionary of Sculptors, Kjellberg, p. 199 Measurements: 17 5/8” H x 12 1/8” W x 11” D.

Creator:
Ferdinand Barbedienne (Manufacturer),Henri Chapu (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 17.63 in (44.79 cm)Width: 12.13 in (30.82 cm)Depth: 11 in (27.94 cm)
Style:
Romantic (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 19th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Only the most minor of patina wear, subtle staining to crevices.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 809RGH25A | Silla, ltd1stDibs: LU1059023810532

Shop All Ferdinand Barbedienne

Ferdinand Barbedienne

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 prizes. 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 antique Ferdinand Barbedienne decorative objects, lighting and more.