catalog text
PIERRE JULES MÊNE
French, 1810-1879
"Cheval Libre no. 1" (The Free Horse)
Sand-cast and patinated bronze | cast signature "P.J. MÊNE" | atelier Mêne-Cain, cast circa 1900
Item # 308KNM08Q
Cast from an early mold with brilliant surface texture captured directly from the wax and transferred to the bronze, the present example is an atelier Mêne-Cain cast circa 1879-1908. It features a lively surface that is finished in a very dark brown patina with reddish undertones, the darker chemical patina being captured in the slashes and cuts of the sculptor's stylus that remain captured throughout the flesh of the stallion. It remains in an exquisite state of preservation throughout with the original patina sealed under a glowing wax layer. The underside shows the horse joined thorugh the base with large threaded rods tightened with torch-cut nuts.
The model is listed in Mêne's catalogue as no. 39 and it is an individual portrait of the stallion separated out from his most celebrated L'Accolade with some slight alterations to the horse's pose make the figure more appropriate as a stand-alone work. The dramatic pose is highly Romantic and reminiscent of the posturing and composition found in the brilliant equestrian portrait paintings of Edwin Landseer, Mêne's contemporary.
For similar examples at auction see:
- Christie's, New York, 8 December 2005, lot 52 [achieved $ 7,800 USD]
- Christie's, London, 8 December 2007, lot 104 [achieved 8750 GBP, the 2.03 exchange rate at time of sale resulting in an approximate sale price of $ 17,700 USD]
- Koller Auction, Zurich, Switzerland, 5 December 2012, lot 1874, achieved 12,600 CHF (approx. $ 13,700 USD at the time of sale)
Artist Listings & Bibliography:
- Pierre Jules Mêne, Catalogue Raisonne, Poletti & Richarme, 2007, fig. CHE15, p. 73, ill. 65
- The Animaliers: The Animal Sculptors of the 19th and 20th Centuries, James Mackay, 1973, p. 73-78
- Les Animaliers, Jane Horswell, 1971, p. 164
- Bronzes of the 19th Century: A Dictionary of Sculptors, Pierre Kjellberg, p. 469-486, present cast illustrated p. 478
Measurements: 12 1/4" H x 15 1/4" W x 6 5/8" D
Condition Report: Good original patina preserved under conservator's wax, polished and a very fine presentation. A few points of relief, including the ribs on the back, light wear around the edges of the base, rubbed relief to raised elements.