AFTER THE ANTIQUE, CAST BY FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, PARIS, CIRCA 1880

Despite the small scale of this bronze group it loses nothing of the monumental character of the Hellenistic marble original (1.90m. high) now in the Muse du Louvre, Paris. It was to become one of the most admired antique statues for its quality and sentiment, and was frequently reproduced throughout the 18th and 19th centuries: a large bronze copy is to be found in the ante-room at Sion House, Middlesex, with further examples at Woburn and Petworth. The present example was cast by the founder Ferdinand Barbedienne (d. 1892) one of the most distinguished fondeur of 19th century France. Although trained as a wallpaper manufacturer, in 1838 he changed his profession, becoming a bronze founder in partnership with Achille Collas (d. 1859), see Lot 38. Collas had invented a method for reducing sculptures for reproduction initially specializing in copies of antique and modern sculpture. From the 1850s the firm, now known as Barbedienne, won numerous medals at the International Exhibitions. After Ferdinand's death in 1892 the business was continued by his nephew.