CIRCLE OF FRANÇOIS GIRARDON (1628-1715), FIRST QUARTER 18TH CENTURY

The composition of this bronze group was almost certainly created between the years 1699 and 1715, as a pendant to contemporary French casts of Giambologna's celebrated bronze group of Nessus and Deianira (Knoedler, loc. cit). Several examples of it are known, both alone and with its pendant, and the present cast, with its roughly oval plinth, corresponds to the earlier of two known variants. One of these pairs of bronzes was sold in the sale of the collection of M. Hubert de Givenchy (Christie's, Monaco, 4 December 1993, lot 16 (1,443,000FF)).