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Lot Essay
Possibly the first mention of this model is in the Blondel de Gagny sale, Paris, 10 December 1776, which includes as lot 1028:
Une grille de cheminée composée de deux chevaux posés sur de beaux trophées de guerre qui servent de pieds; ce sont les modeles de Coustout qui on servi pour les deux chevaux qui sont à la tete de l'abreuvoir de Marly; ils sont dorés d'or moulu, & viennent du garde meuble du Roi.
Guillaume Coustou (d. 1746) was commissioned to supply wax models to replace Coysevox's cavaliers, which overlooked the watering place at château de Marly, in 1719. Executed from a solid block of Carrara marble, the Marly horses were hailed the greatest sculptures of the 'new age'. The Coustou horses, although similar to the above model, are more vigourous and the horses are held by men, it is therefore also possible that these horses were inspired by Gaspard II (d. 1681) and Balthazar (d. 1674) Marlys' Horses of Apollo, after designs by Charles Le Brun, which were intended for Versailles.
A pair of chenets of identical design, with replaced French royal coats-of-arms to the medallion of the base and signed by Antoine Zacharie Solon maître fondeur in 1756, were sold anonymously at Etude Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 20 October 1990, lot 168, and again at Sotheby's New York, 22 May 1997, lot 113.
Une grille de cheminée composée de deux chevaux posés sur de beaux trophées de guerre qui servent de pieds; ce sont les modeles de Coustout qui on servi pour les deux chevaux qui sont à la tete de l'abreuvoir de Marly; ils sont dorés d'or moulu, & viennent du garde meuble du Roi.
Guillaume Coustou (d. 1746) was commissioned to supply wax models to replace Coysevox's cavaliers, which overlooked the watering place at château de Marly, in 1719. Executed from a solid block of Carrara marble, the Marly horses were hailed the greatest sculptures of the 'new age'. The Coustou horses, although similar to the above model, are more vigourous and the horses are held by men, it is therefore also possible that these horses were inspired by Gaspard II (d. 1681) and Balthazar (d. 1674) Marlys' Horses of Apollo, after designs by Charles Le Brun, which were intended for Versailles.
A pair of chenets of identical design, with replaced French royal coats-of-arms to the medallion of the base and signed by Antoine Zacharie Solon maître fondeur in 1756, were sold anonymously at Etude Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 20 October 1990, lot 168, and again at Sotheby's New York, 22 May 1997, lot 113.