PIERRE-JULES MÊNE
French, 1810-1879
"Plaque Lièvre et Faisan" (1850)
Sand-cast patinated bronze | engraved signature "P.J. MÊNE 1850" | probably posthumously cast circa 1880
Item # 311WIP09A
A finely cast example of Mêne's hunting group "Plaque of a Hare and
Pheasant" originally modeled in 1850, the present cast is likely a
lifetime example, though perhaps was cast under the direction of Auguste
Cain just after Mêne's death. The ciseling and engraving work are very
fine throughout and the reverse presents with early joinery associated
with the 1870s, a cast that features slotted screws that were ground
down affixing the sand-cast elements from the reverse.
This
plaque was often retailed within a molded hardwood frame to allow for a
tidy presentation, but if this particular example was ever in a frame is
unknown as there is no rubbing or oxidization match-ups that would
suggest a frame.
The model was released by Mêne from his
personal foundry in 1850 and continues to be included in Cain's catalog
when he was casting for the benefit of Julie Mêne in 1901 where it was
offered as Plaque lièvre et faisan (nature morte encadrée) for 55
francs. It was still being cast by Susse Freres in their 1908 catalogue,
where they offered it with the hardwood frame for 70 francs.
Artist Listings & Bibliography:
- Pierre-Jules Mêne: Catalogue Raisonne, Poletti & Richarme, 2007, p. 200, cat. NM 8, ill. 265
Measurements: 12" H x 6 1/2" W x 1" D
Condition Report:
Rabbit forepaw is missing. Two tiny holes
drilled in the upper for mounting the plaque. Trace discoloration to the
patina. Carefully cleaned and sealed in conservator's grade wax.
Unframed - these often were sold with a molded hardwood frame, which may
have been separated from the model at one point - the two tiny holes
would likely have been covered by the edges of the frame. A fine
presentation.
About silla | antiques & art
Established in 2009, our 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery is home to a carefully curated and catalogued inventory of furniture, decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and estate jewelry. Our company has long specialized in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 and as such the gallery always has a very large collection of
exceptional European and American sculpture available on display.
The gallery is located at 117 W Burd Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and is open by appointment only. We welcome your visit and would love to meet with you. For clients located outside of the area, we are always available to discuss items by video conferencing or by phone.
SHIPPING
We take shipping very seriously and maintain a fully equipped in-house packing facility to professionally package these important and delicate pieces. All packaging is handled by our staff and will generally consist of:
- Wrapping the item in several inches of heavy-duty bubble wrap with careful attention shown to pressure points, crafting the placement of the bubble wrap in a manner that allows delicate parts of the item to remain out of harm's way.
- The item is then placed into a tight-fitting carton with a void fill of either peanuts, Styrofoam, bubble wrap or a combination of the three to ensure it cannot move within the carton
- That carton is then double-boxed by placing it into an outer carton 2-3" larger on all sides with a dense void fill in the gap [note, paintings are generally not double-boxed but instead have a different packing methodology to properly protect the frame from pressure]
All shipments are guaranteed to arrive safely. We fully insure all shipments and in the event of damage we will handle all of the details around the claims process. You are only required to send along photos, to hold onto the damaged item and all packing materials until the claims process is resolved and we also reserve the right to require the damaged item to be shipped back to us at our expense (a prepaid label will be issued) to qualify for a refund.