French Bronze Sculpture of Two Dogs, R Varnier for the Salon des Beaux-Arts 1923

More information coming soon… After the original Alfred Jacquemart hunting dogs from the 1800s, this pair of French cast iron sculptures dates to circa 1900. Both dogs are depicted...

Standing over 2 feet tall, these high quality bronze statues depict soldiers during the French revolutionary wars. They are labeled and signed Dumaige (French sculptor, Etienne-Henry Dumaige 1830-1888). The statues show incredible detail, excellent proportion, and retain their original, rich, brown patina, which is still in remarkable condition. Each solider has a raised brass placard on the front of the 1 ½” thick square bases: one reads Avant le combat volontaire de 1792 par Dumaige, H.C, while the other is titled “Apres le combat grenadier de 1792 par Dumaige, H.C.”. The designation “H.C.” stands for Hors concours (“standout”), which is used for artwork that is excluded from competition because it has already claimed top honors elsewhere. Avant, meaning “before” shows our soldier as a volunteer drummer. Drums were used on the battlefield not only to provide cadence for the soldiers, but also to issue orders based on the percussion pattern. Here, our soldier’s drum is attached to a harness that runs across his right shoulder. Both hands are gripping the frame of the drum, while there is a drumstick in his left hand. There is a satchel on the soldier’s back as he stands on grass with a small wood fence behind him. Our soldier has a mustache with long braided hair in the back. He is wearing a fluted bicorne with a pomme tuft and has earrings in both ears. His jacket is knee-length in the back, with tasseled epaulets on the shoulders. Apres, meaning “after”, depicts the man as a grenadier, enjoying tobacco after a conflict. The grenadier...

Cast during the early 1900s in France, this captivating bronze statue boasts a rich patina with a mesmerizing blend of turquoise, gold, and gray patina, giving it a unique and timele...

Made in plaster, circa 1880, this interesting French sculpture depicts Francois Rene de Chateaubriand sitting with his legs crossed in an armchair. A rolled scroll is in his right hand, which rests on his thigh and books and scrolls are strewn beneath the chair. Chateaubriand’s long overcoat is unbuttoned and gathered, showing an elegant frock and bowtie ensemble beneath. Beneath the chair is a shaped plinth with cavetto molding on all sides and “Chateaubriand” incised along the front. Francois Rene de Chateaubriand was born in Saint-Malo, France in 1768, the youngest of 10 children. A noted politician, historian, and author, Chateaubriand had a profound effect on literature, being the first major figure of Romanticism. Chateaubriand was also the original man of letters, a group of French authors that also had burgeoning political careers. A fellow man of letter, Victor Hugo was so inspired by Chateaubriand that he is known for having said “To be Chateaubriand or nothing”. This French plaster sculpture...