CAST BY THE VAL D'OSNE FOUNDRY AFTER THE MODEL BY ETIENNE MAURICE FALCONET (1716-1791), LATE 19TH CENTURY

The original model of this cupid was first exhibited in plaster in 1755, and the finished marble -now in the Louvre- was received with acclaim at the Paris Salon of 1757. Its widespread popularity was due both to its inherent artistic merit and the fact that it was destined for the Hôtel d'Evreux, one of the Paris residences of Louis XV's mistress, Mme de Pompadour (Levitine, op.cit., p. 30).

Fueled by the rapid development of the Industrial Revolution, the beginning of the 19th century saw increased mass-production of cast-iron ornamentation in both European and American foundries. However, nowhere was the popularity greater than in France, where by the second half of the 19th century the firm of Val D'Osne had come to dominate production of cast-iron ornamentation. Officially known as Société Anonyme des Hauts-Fourneaux et Fonderies du Val-D'Osne, Anciennes maisons J.P.V. André et J.J. Ducel et Fils, the firm, commonly known simply as 'Val D'Osne', was originally founded in 1835 and developed rapidly by absorbing smaller foundries in the Haute-Marne area east of Paris. A frequent participant in the International Exhibitions, the foundry was awarded medals for their work during the latter half of the 19th century.