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French 19th Century Patinated Bronze Statue

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A large pair French 19th century patinated bronze figural torchès

About the Item

François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint (1806-1862) A large pair of French mid-19th century gilt and patinated bronze figural torchères: Esclave Indien and Esclave Indienne cast by F. Barbedienne (before 1869) from models by Toussaint dated 1850 the male and female figures each holding aloft glass flame shades, on panelled chamfered rectangular black marble plinths, the bronze pedestals of cylindrical baluster form with acanthus leaf collars and four engaged foliate scroll corbel supports with fluted ornament, on circular socles cast in the form of ribbon-bound laurel garlands, each signed A.Toussaint 1850 and Fondeur F.Barbedienne, 36cm wide, 36cm deep, 217cm high (14in wide, 14in deep, 85in high). the figures 112cm high (44in high Armand Toussaint first exhibited a plaster model at the 1847 Salon in Paris entitled "Un esclave indien portant une torche" along with its female pendant. The models were cast in bronze three years later, commissioned by the French Ministre de l'intérieur, and after being exhibited at the 1850-1851 Paris Salon (exh. no 3599) they were placed in the Ministry's bureau in the Palais de l'Elysée. These models described as "Les deux indiens (esclaves porte-lumières)" can be seen in the Barbedienne catalogue from 1855, then edited in two sizes (112cm and 70cm). The present lot corresponds to the tallest edition. At the 1862 Great Exhibition in London, Graux-Marly also exhibits a cast of these torchères, described by the French reporter Deherain as follows: «During one of our last Salons, everyone was struck by those half naked figures, with their eyes on the ground, expressing the resignation of a vanquished people; these are two excellent candelabra models, who have been reduced to numerous dimensions; these will be beautiful at the bottom of a monumental stair". After Toussaint' s death in 1869 Ferdinand Barbedienne and Graux-Marly signed an agreement to regulate the cast edition of these models. According to this contract Barbedienne is limited to edit them in sizes below 99.5cm and Graux-Marly higher than 108cm. Batch 75 55897. TKSYK

Creator:
F. Barbedienne Foundry (Maker),François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 85.44 in (217 cm)Width: 14.18 in (36 cm)Depth: 14.18 in (36 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Bronze,Cast,Patinated
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1850
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brighton, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: SKU000020071stDibs: LU1227237366542

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.

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