CAST FROM THE MODEL BY ARTHUR-MARIE-GABRIEL, COMTE DU PASSAGE (1838-1909), SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

The Comte du Passage initially pursued a military career in accordance with his family's expectations but indulged his natural talent for sculpture by studying under the famed animaliers Barye and Mène and exhibiting at the Paris Salon from 1865-93. Mène's influence is particularly evident is this charmingly animated group which shows a groom struggling to tie the saddle of a mare startled by a barking dog. This model was exhibited at the 1873 Salon and is illustrated in C. Payne, Animals in Bronze, Woodbridge 1986, p. 307 and P. Kjellberg, Les Bronzes du XIXe siècle, Paris 2005, p. 559.

The Maison Alphonse Giroux was established in 1799 by François-Simon-Alphonse Giroux (d. 1848), with premises at 7, rue du Coq-Saint-Honor, Paris. Specialising in the production and sale of small items of furniture, objets d'art, de fantaisie et de papeterie, the firm was responsible for the bedroom suite supplied to Charles X in 1826. In 1838, the company was taken over by Giroux's two sons, Alphonse-Gustave (d. 1886) and André (d. 1874), who under the name of Giroux & Cie continued and expanded the business, showing and frequently winning medals at the Exposition des produits de l'industrie française. In 1857, the business relocated to 43, boulevard des Capucines, where it remained until 1867, when it was taken over by Duvinage and Harinckouk.