Antique Grand Tour French Bronze Sculpture Male Female Figure Clodion Barbediene

Exceptional example of a fine pair of chisels cast French patinated bronze figures after Claude Michel Clodion (1738-1814) in very dark brown patination. Mid Nineteenth Century. Firmly attributed to the Jules Graux’s Foundry The standing male and female couple in period dress standing beside a tree trunk on a square naturalistic base. Both playing exotic Victorian musical instruments. Clodion popularized this subject and created a number of variations of the theme. Location: Dublin City, Ireland. Affordable fixed charge Worldwide Store to door shipping offered/ The Jules Graux’s Foundry was based at 8 Rue du Parc-Royal Paris France from 1860, they exhidited at the last National Exhibition in Paris in 1849 and again Paris in 1855. At the London Exhibition of 1862 their entry was described as “Bronzes d’ameublement, cheminee et garniture de cheminee, Lustres, Vases, Statues, Groupes” They are recorded as exporting 35% of their production and as having made bronzes for the Hotel de la Commission. They also contributed to the Paris Exhibition of 1867. By 1870 sons Graux and Marly took over the business from their father and, from then onwards their works were stamped Graux-Marly or Graux-Marly Freres. The Foundry is renowned for producing high-quality bronze castings, chasing and gilding, including clocks, candelabra, statuettes and other fine decorative works of art. The foundry also cast bronzes for many of the most renowned sculptors of the day, including Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875). James Pradier (1790-1852). Emmanuel Fremiet (1824-1910). Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887).