Paul Comolera (1818-1897), was born in Paris and studied under the sculptor Francois Rude; working primarily as an animalier modeller, he followed in the footsteps of his compatriots Louis Solon, Albert Carrier de Belleuse and Hugues Protàt, among others, by joining the Minton factory, being responsible for such models as the life-size peacock, first made in 1873 and for smaller models such as a parrot and stork; cf. Paul Atterbury and Maureen Batkin, ed., op. cit., p. 261 for a similar model of a fawn flower-vase, see also the example sold at Sotheby's, London, 17 July 1990, lot 49