Lot Essay
In 1773, perhaps at the instigation of Mme Du Barry, for whom Boizot worked at Louveciennes, the latter was appointed artistic director of the sculpture studio at the Sèvres porcelain manufactory, during which time he made more than 150 models that were reproduced in biscuit porcelain. In Bourgeois' exhaustive compilation of the porcelain groups produced in Sèvres in the 18th century (loc. cit.), he lists the model of Apollo, Daphne and Peneus as being a work by Boizot executed in 1786. It is quite likely, therefore, that the mould used to create the porcelain group was subsequently adapted for use in bronze casting, resulting in the creation of the present item.