Superb Antique (ca. 1870) Bronze Statue ‘Jockey & Groom’, John Willis Good

Fine antique (ca. 1870) bronze statue ‘Jockey & Groom’ by John Willis Good, produced via the sand-casting method. Signed ‘J. Willis Good’ on the base and mounted on a green marble stand. 33cm high x 35cm wide (including stand) x 15.5cm deep, weight 7.8kg. Excellent condition with a lovely dark brown patina. John Willis Good (1845-1879), a pupil of Joseph Edgar Boehm (1834-1890), who was Queen Victoria’s favourite sculptor, was the only English counterpart to the French ‘Animalier’ sculptors. He made his Royal Academy début in 1870, and over the following decade showed a series of equestrian pieces in bronze and terracotta. His works are of fine quality and display exceptional skill and naturalism. He produced only 10 to 15 models in his short and tragic life (he committed suicide), which were cast in bronze, silver and silver-plated bronze, often by Elkington & Co. of Birmingham.