SIGNED J.L. GÉRÔME AND SIOT FONDEUR, PARIS, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A French silver-gilt sculpture of King Frederick the Great of Prussia
Signed J.L. Gérôme and Siot Fondeur, Paris, late 19th century
The cast figure of Frederick the Great in regimental uniform with frock coat, boots and spurs, tricorn hat, tasselled belt, sword and silver cane, his hair en queue, his saddle-blanket and musket-covers with embroidery and tassels, the musket-covers featuring the Royal Prussian eagle, astride his horse Condé, the horse with clipped mane and tail and with bridle decorated with rosettes, one front leg raised, on a rocky textured oblong ground, marked on base, the base also stamped 'J.L. Gerome' and 'Siot. Fondeur. Paris'
31in. (78.5cm.) high
944oz. (29,376gr.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

Jean-Lèon Gérôme produced equestrian figure groups of many of the great military leaders including his famous Bonaparte Entering Cairo, which was bought by the State, and an equestrian figure of George Washington. Like the Bonaparte, Gérôme and the Siot-Decauville foundry produced two sizes of a bronze version of the present figure group of Frederick the Great; another was also produced in silvered bronze. A bronze version with ivory face was sold Christie's London, 14 February 1991, lot 85. Ackerman in The Life and Work of Jean-Lèon Gérôme, Paris, 1986, catalogues the Frederick the Great as the finest of Gérôme's historical equestrian works, with its sensitive portrayal of both rider and mount and the finely detailed costume and ornament. The original model was exhibited with great success at the 1899 Salon in Paris.

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