Antique Pair of French Bronzes Recumbent Sphinxes 19th Century

This is a fine antique pair of French Grand Tour patinated-bronze sculptures of the Marly Horses, Circa 1850 in date and signed to one base. The original Marly Horses were commissi...

This is an elegant monumental Grand Tour bronze sculpture of Michelangelo's David, circa 1880 in date. The full-length portrait statue is of David, the 14ft marble statue depicts the Biblical hero David, represented as a standing male nude, David looks tense and ready for battle after he has made the decision to fight Goliath, but, before the battle has actually taken place. His brow is drawn, his neck tense, and the veins bulge out of his lowered right hand and holding his slingshot over his shoulder. This impressive scuplture is 107cm (3ft 6" ) tall and weighs over 36kgs (79lbs). This high quality hot cast solid bronze was produced using the traditional 'lost wax' process. The attention to detail of this sculpture is absolutely fantastic. Condition: In really excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 107 x Width 41 x Depth 24.5 Weight 36.3 kg Dimensions in inches: Height 3 foot, 6 inches x Width 1 foot, 4 inches x Depth 10 inches Weight 80.0 lbs Michelangelo's David This astonishing Renaissance sculpture was created between 1501 and 1504. It is a 14ft marble statue depicting the Biblical hero David, represented as a standing male nude. Originally commissioned by the Opera del Duomo for the Cathedral of Florence, it was meant to be one of a series of large statues to be positioned in the niches of the cathedral’s tribunes, way up at about 80mt from the ground. Michelangelo was asked by the consuls of the Board to complete an unfinished project begun in 1464 by Agostino di Duccio and later carried on by Antonio Rossellino in 1475. Both sculptors had in the end rejected an enormous block of marble due to the presence of too many “taroli”, or imperfections, which may have threatened the stability of such a huge statue...

19th century pair of bronze Egyptian Revival sphinx figures in reclining poses seated on solid wooden rectangular plinth bases. A well-detailed...

Gaston Leroux (French, 1854-1942). A very fine French 19th century polychromed and patinated bronze sculpture of "Aida" resting on a sphinx, her legs crossed and holding a gilt-bronze tambourine, after the model by Gaston Veuvenot Leroux "Aida, A Femme Au Tambourin Assise Sur Une Tete De Sphinx". Signed: Gaston Leroux, Paris, circa 1890. Measures: Height 29 inches (74 cm). Width 15 inches (38.1 cm). Depth 15 inches (38.1 cm). The opulent and extensively detailed version of Aida was inspired by ethnographic findings of the mid-19th century in ancient Egypt as well as the influences of theatre and costume design. Travelers to the East had often recorded their journeys, either in writing or in pictures, but the movement of Egyptomania was wider-reaching than Egyptology. The immensely popular vogue of Egyptomania is without doubt due to the success of performing arts in recreating this era, in particular, Giuseppe Verdi's Aida. Both the Cairo and Paris premieres created sensations so large that they influenced generations of artists from Alexander Cabanel to Cecil de Mille. In Aida, the ruins of Egypt were brought back to life in full color and scale before the eyes of a generation that would make history as romantics, adventurers and explorers. The Cairo premier of Aida was entirely conceived by one of the foremost Egyptologists of the day, Auguste Mariette, who was assigned to the project by Khedive Ismail Pasha...