CHRISTOPHE FRATIN
French, 1801-1864

"Rainbow - Cheval Arabe"

Sand-cast and patinated bronze
Signed in naturalistic base FRATIN, cast "R" into underside
Cast circa 1850

12 5/16" H x 4 7/8" D x 14 5/8" W

Essay
This model is described in Lami's reference text as Rinbow, étalon appartenant à M. Rieussec and was presented at the 1835 Paris Salon as no. 2253 - it includes a note in his text that "Ce bronze et les précédents ont éte fondus au sable d'un seul jet par Quesnel" (This bronze ... was cast in sand in a single throw by Quesnel). The present work is not signed by Quesnel and perhaps is cast by a different foundry. It is pictured in Christopher Payne's volume on animal bronzes where interestingly it has the same cast R to the underside as the model pictured in that volume. We have also had the opportunity to carry this cast once before with the same R cast into the underside.

A rich and incredibly rare model by Fratin, this very fine cast of an Arabian Stallion is notable for the fluid textured surface captured in the bronze directly from the mold. It enjoys a silky translucent surface patina with an overall dark brown patination against black recesses and hints of orange and red we typical describe as being "autumnal" for the way the mix of chaotic hues strike the eye. Typical of his lifetime works, the model is remarkably crisp and has been executed to the highest of standards.

Condition:
Open seam at joint of tail that we have had filled with matching wax for aesthetic purposes (tail remains perfectly tight and sturdy). Rubbing to the patina on the back side of the horse (ribs, haunches, raised elements of the legs). Minor rubbing to the edges of the base, raised elements and back. Faint scratching on front of model by horse's rear hip. Carefully cleaned and sealed in conservator's wax. Ready to place.

Biography
Christophe Fratin was among the earliest sculptors in France to devote his career exclusively to animal subjects, helping to lay the groundwork for what would become known as the Animalier school. His work diverged sharply from the academic standards of the early 19th century, favoring animated compositions and a vigorous surface treatment that conveyed movement and immediacy. His figures, often modeled with impressionistic roughness, challenge the polished aesthetic of his contemporaries and instead evoke the energy and unpredictability of the natural world.

Born in Metz in 1801, Fratin was the son of a taxidermist, an upbringing that provided him with a profound understanding of animal anatomy. This early exposure influenced both the technical rigor and occasionally rigid poses of his earliest sculptures. He began his formal training under the local sculptor Charles Augustin Pioche before moving to Paris, where he studied in the studio of Théodore Géricault. Géricault’s influence is evident in Fratin’s recurring interest in equestrian themes and his expressive modeling style, which departs from the neoclassical ideal and reflects the emotive intensity of Romanticism.

Fratin first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1831 and continued to show his work there regularly through 1842. He returned to Salon exhibitions from 1850 through 1862 after a hiatus during the politically tumultuous 1840s. His international reputation grew significantly during this period. At the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, Fratin received a medal and was recognized for the inventiveness and expressiveness of his animal sculpture—an acknowledgment that helped solidify his reputation beyond France.

Unlike some of his Animalier peers such as Antoine-Louis Barye, Fratin never established his own foundry. He instead relied on prominent Parisian firms to cast his models, beginning with Susse Frères in the 1830s. By the mid-1840s, he was closely associated with the foundry of Quesnel, where he oversaw the casting of many of his bronzes—pieces that are today regarded among the most refined of his production. Later in his career, his work was also cast by Thiébaut Frères, Daubrée, Eck & Durand, and Debraux D’Anglure. Although Fratin produced a number of models in terracotta, relatively few examples have survived.

Fratin’s sculpture found a ready audience in England, Austria, and Germany, and he completed numerous private commissions abroad. In the United States, his best-known public work is Eagles and Prey, a dramatic bronze group depicting two raptors descending upon a ram. Cast in 1850 and installed in 1863, it is the oldest sculpture in New York’s Central Park and remains a lasting testament to his international appeal.

Among his most collected works are a series of humorous and highly anthropomorphic bear groups, which depict the animals engaging in human activities with exaggerated expression and satirical flair. These works are often interpreted as tongue-in-cheek critiques of sentimental Romanticism in animal depiction—a genre Fratin both participated in and subtly subverted.

Christophe Fratin died at Le Raincy in Seine-et-Oise in August 1864. Today, his sculptures are held in major collections including the Louvre, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Metz, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Walters Art Museum. His work occupies a pivotal place in the history of 19th-century sculpture for its blend of anatomical precision, expressive form, and narrative innovation.

References:

• Dictionnaire des Sculpteurs de L'École Française, vol. II, Stanislas Lami, 1970, p. 404
• Animals in Bronze, Christopher Payne, 1986, p. 273

ref. 503QKW02S