19th Century Animaliers Bronze entitled 'Gazelle Et Faon' by Christophe Fratin

Exquisite mid 19th century French bronze study of an anthropomorphic bear sitting on a barrel playing a violin, the barrel can be opened halfway to form a container. The surface with excellent mid to dark brown patina and very fine hand chased surface detail, signed Fratin and titled Le Père Odry Additional Information Height: 17.8 cm Width: 8.6 cm Depth: 7.2 cm Condition: Excellent Original Condition Circa: 1845 Materials: Bronze Book reference: Bronzes of the 19th Century by Pierre Kjellberg About Le Père Odry Le Père Odry is a character in one of Balzac's novels, Unconscious Comedians which is one of the lesser known novels in the series La Comédie Humaine. The novel tells the story of a famous painter who takes his provincial cousin on a trip of Paris to open his eyes to what really goes on in the city behind the respectable façade. Le Père Odry appears in the novel as a dissolute actor. Christopher Fratin, French 1801 ~ 1864 also known as Christophe Fratin, was a noted French sculptor in the animalier style, and one of the earliest French sculptors to portray animals in bronze. Fratin was born in Metz, Moselle, France the son of a taxidermist. He first studied drawing under Pioche in Metz and later worked in Paris at the studio of Théodore Géricault. He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1831–1842 and 1850–1862, as well as at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. Fratin never signed his bronzes but instead used a stamp showing his last name in straight block letters. One of the stamps he used (pictured) showed the "n" reversed, not by design but due to an error on the part of the maker of the stamp. Bronzes bearing this stamp have the appearance of not seeming to be genuine when in reality this foible is actually an indicator of authenticity. Fratin received monumental commissions in France and elsewhere, including the Deux Aigles Gardant Leur Proie (Eagles and Prey, created 1850) displayed since 1863 in New York City's Central Park. Many of his small bronzes—including his miniature bronzes which were more affordable due to their smaller size—were sold commercially to the general public during his lifetime. Today, Fratin's sculpture is on permanent display in the Louvre, the city museums of Metz, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nîmes and at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. The Georg Eisler...

Excellent quality and very rare mid 19th Century French Animalier bronze study of a seated griffon hound looking intently at two pigeons feeding beside him. The bronze with excellent...

Excellent late 19th century animalier bronze study of a feeding reindeer with rich brown colour and very fine hand chased and etched surface detail, raised on a stepped naturalistic base, stamped with Peyrol Foundry mark and signed Isidore Bonheur Additional information Height: 16 cm Width: 22 cm Condition: Excellent Original Condition Foundry: Peyrol circa: 1880 Materials: Bronze SKU: 8211 DESCRIPTION Isidore Bonheur Isidore Bonheur, born in Bordeaux May 15 1827. Isidore was the third child of Christine Dorotheé Sophie Marquis (1797–1833), a musician, and Oscar-Raymond Bonheur (1796–1849) (a landscape and portrait painter and an early adherent of Saint-Simonianism, a Christian-socialist sect that promoted the education of women alongside men). Isidore was the brother of Auguste Bonheur...

A very rare late 19th Century French Animalier bronze study of a standing ostrich, the detailed feathering chased with extremely fine precision, the flightless giant bird...

An excellent mid 19th Century French Animalier bronze study of a falcon perched on a branch using its outspread wings to balance and with its beak open. The bronze exhibiting excellent intricate hand chased surface detail and very fine rich brown lightly rubbed patination, signed J Moigniez. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Height: 23 cm Width: 23 cm Condition: Excellent Original Condition Circa: 1870 Materials: Bronze Book reference: Animals in Bronze by Christopher Paine Page no. 79 SKU: 9000 ABOUT Jules Moigniez (French, 1835 ~ 1894) Moigniez was a French animalier sculptor of the 19th century. He worked primarily in bronze and frequently exhibited his sculptures at the Paris salon. He was best known for his bronzes depicting birds, although his skill and versatility enabled him to produce quality horse sculptures (primarily racehorses), dog sculptures and hunting scenes. His bird sculptures were among the finest ever created in his time. Moigniez was born at Senlis, Oise, France in 1835, the son of a metal gilder. Moigniez’s father bought a foundry to cast his sculptures, which was of great benefit to Moigniez as he didn’t have the added foundry costs that most of his contemporaries had to pay. Moigniez studied sculpture under the tutelage of Paul Comoléra (a student of François Rude) in Paris. It is quite likely that Moigniez’s attraction to bird sculpture was a direct result of his education under Comoléra, who was himself a bird specialist. Over the course of his 40-year sculpting career Moigniez exhibited thirty works at the Salon between 1855–92. His first submission in a major art exhibition was his plaster, Pointer Stopping at a Pheasant, at the Exposition Universelle of 1855.[1][2] Moigniez was known for the fine detail and chiseling of his sculptures. His bronzes—usually cast using the lost wax method—were always immaculately chased and patinated, and were especially popular in England and Scotland.[2] More than half of his output during his lifetime was sold in the United Kingdom. By the end of the 19th century, his sculpture had become popular in the United States as well. In contrast with other animaliers of the period such are P.J. Mêne and Antoine-Louis Barye, Moigniez’s bird sculptures often incorporated highly detailed bases complete with bushes, extensive foliage and undergrowth. His castings were generally of excellent quality with a variety of patinas, the gilded and silvered patinas being the most desirable and sought after by collectors. His bronzes could be reproached for an excess of detail, a result of overly-finicky, over-worked chiseling. Moigniez received redemption, however, by portraying in his sculpture a certain “elegance of attitudes”. His Chien braque...

Delightful late19th century French Animaliers bronze study of a turning whippet looking around in an attitude to play, with rich brown colour and fine hand chased surface detail. Sig...

Lion animal bronze patina 19th century medallion signed Fratin on the terrace dimension 53 cm long 31 cm high 15 cm deep Additional information: Materi...

19th century lion bronze animal patina medal signed Fratin on the terrace.

This Fratin bear cup has engraved signature, 19th century, silver plate bronze. The cup is mounted on foot and is composed at the base of elephant heads ...

Bronze pair of candelabras 19th century, Fratin Christophe Fratin (1801-1864) is a famous French animal sculptor who exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1831–1842 and 1850–1862, as wel...

Fratin bear cup is signed Daubrée editor, 19th century, silver plate bronze. The cup is mounted on foot and is composed at the base of elephant heads and...

This Fratin bear cup is 19th century, not signed but similar to others, silver plate bronze. The cup is mounted on foot and is composed at the base of el...