A French bronze equestrian portrait of Louis XIV, on pedestal

AFTER THE MODEL BY FRANÇOIS GIRARDON, CIRCA 1890

Details

A French bronze equestrian portrait of Louis XIV, on pedestal
After the model by François Girardon, Circa 1890
The rectangular base with a plaque engraved PRESENTED TO/HRH THE DUKE OF YORK/AND/HSH THE PRINCESS VICTORIA MARY OF TECK/ON THEIR MARRIAGE/BY/THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE/6TH JULY 1893, together with a Renaissance style carved oak revolving pedestal
The bronze: 43in. (109.3cm.) high; The pedestal: 36½in. (92.8cm.) high (2)

Provenance

H.R.H. The Duke of York and H.S.H. The Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (later King George V and Queen Mary), presented to them on their marriage by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, 6 July 1893.

Lot Essay

The present model is a reduction of the sculpteur du Roi François Girardon's (d.1715) celebrated equestrian statue of Louis XIV. Cast by the fondeur J. Balthasar Keller and weighing over thirty tons, the monumental original bronze was unveiled in the Place Louis le Grand, now Place Vendôme, in 1699. Destroyed during the Terror in 1792, only one hoof is now preserved in the Louvre.

The popularity of this model resulted in the production of 19th century reductions by Parisian bronziers such as Alfred Beurdeley and Henry Dasson. Another example of a 19th century model was sold Christie's London, Works of Art from Houghton, 8 December 1994, lot 21 (£51,000).

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