Jockey à cheval

Isidore-Jules Bonheur began his career working with his elder sister Rosa (d. 1899) in the studio of their father, drawing instructor Raymond Bonheur. Although best-known as one of the 19th Century's most distinguished animalier sculptors, Bonheur initially worked as a painter, making his Salon debut in 1848 with the painting Cavalier africain attaqué par une lionne, and a plaster group of the same subject (no. 4619). The following year he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, from then on concentrated solely on sculpture, whereupon his true talent became apparent.

Christopher Payne identifies the horse in this group as Erno Blaskovich's Hungarian filly Kincksem, (see C. Payne, Animals in Bronze, Woodbridge, 1986, p.349, pl. H200) while the group has appeared at auction entitled 'Kincsem with Charles Madden Up'. Truly one of the greatest racehorses of all time, Kincksem ran undefeated from 1848-1853, winning 54 races in 5 countries.

Another example of this model sold these rooms 23 April 2004, lot 150 ($38,240).