“Last Days of Napoleon” French Antique Bronze Sculpture by Vincenzo Vela

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“Last Days of Napoleon” French Antique Bronze Sculpture by Vincenzo Vela

About the Item

Bronze sculpture of “Last Days of Napoleon” after model by Vincenzo Vela (Italian/Swiss, 1820-91) Signed “V. Vela. F. 1867”, “F. Barbedienne Fondeur, Paris”; A. Collas seal verso; underside inscribed 85781; incised corner "791", circa early 20th century Item # 009DPP15A A work of unreal quality, the chiseling work is rather exemplary throughout the sculpture. The subject is described contemporarily in a moving write-up by William Macleod, curator of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in their 1882 catalogue where he examines the topic: "This sublime statue is justly considered among the greatest sculptural works of modern times. It was executed for Mr J. Taylor Johnston of New York at the sale of whose collection it was bought for this Gallery. It is a replica of the statue made in 1866 and bought by Napoleon III from the French International Exhibition in 1867 and is now at Versailles There is some difference in the heads of the two statues but none changing the character and sentiment of the work. Vela as a Swiss has followed his profession in Florence and Milan but now resides at Ligernetto Canton of Tisson. He is about 50 years old and a Republican. Napoleon is seated in a chair supported by a pillow a blanket covers his body and legs, but his dressing gown partly open shows his massive but wasted chest. His right hand rests languidly on an arm of the chair his left nervously clutched rests on a map of Europe of 1814 spread on his lap, that Europe whose boundary lines he had so often altered and obliterated. His head droops forward and there is an awful speculation in the glazed depths of the eyes that gaze earnestly from beneath the classic brow as though peering into futurity. An indomitable spirit lives in the compressed lips and the thin nostrils breathe the scorn of a conqueror though now yielding to the spell of the last conqueror, death. Neither David's Crossing the Alps nor De la Roche's Fontainebleau in their personations of the Successful General and the Fallen Emperor stir the heart so deeply as this pathetic image of the dying Imperial Captive” The present example is one of two slightly differed versions of this sculpture, both documented in Forrest’s work. It was cast by the foundry of Ferdinand Barbedienne and is noted such with the base edge inscription of “F. Barbedienne Foundeur, Paris”; the standard A. Collas reduction cachet is sealed into the back corner of the base. Notable is the inordinate level of finishing work completed in his face, hair, fingernails, garment and the map - as one of the larger editions of this model offered by Barbedienne, it is a dramatic and powerful work. For the serious collector of the finest of historical models in bronze, this is an exceptional acquisition. Literature & Further Reading: 1. Sotheby’s, 28 June 2007, 16 1/2” H model by Barbedienne achieved 22,800 GBP 2. University of Chicago Smart Museum of Art, acc. no. 1976.74, 16 1/2” H model 3. Christie’s Sydney, 15-16 May 2004, The John Schaeffer Collection, 45 cm (slightly larger than present model), unknown foundry, lot 255, achieved AUD 11,950 4. Art Bronzes, Michael Forrest, 1988, p. 84-85, f. 2.184 & 2.185 Measurements: 16 5/8” H x 9” W x 15 1/8” D.

Creator:
F. Barbedienne Foundry (Maker),Vincenzo Vela 1 (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 16.63 in (42.25 cm)Width: 9 in (22.86 cm)Depth: 15.13 in (38.44 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 20th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Original patina with minor wear to high relief, overall remaining in excellent original condition; cleaned, polished and sealed under wax.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 009DPP15A | Silla, ltd.1stDibs: LU1059020909182

Shop All F. Barbedienne Foundry

F. Barbedienne Foundry

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 awards. 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 Barbedienne decorative objects, lighting and collectibles.