Pierre Jules Mêne

PIERRE JULES MÊNE (Paris, 1810 - 1879).
"The hunting valet of Louis XV", 1874.
Patinated bronze.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 64 x 60 x 25 cm.

This sculpture, dated 1874, is one of the few examples made during the artist's lifetime (only about twenty examples of this quality were cast under Mêne's own direction). The model, presented for the first time at the 1872 Salon, derives from Napoleon III's fascination with the attire of King Louis XV (in fact, he paid particular attention to the costumes of the royal crews when he had those of the Vènerie impériale redone). It is a piece of exquisite quality, a faithful reflection of the French sculptor's savoir faire.

A disciple of René Compaire, Mêne worked mainly in bronze, specializing in hunting themes and equestrian groups. In fact, he is currently the most famous animal sculptor after Barye. He made his debut at the Paris Salon in 1832 and continued to show his works there until the same year of his death, obtaining a third class medal in 1855, a second class medal in 1878, and a first class medal in 1852 and 1861. In 1861 he was named Knight of the Legion of Honor. He is represented in the Fine Arts Museums of La Rochelle, Agen, Béziers, Dijon and Rouen, in the Palace of Fontainebleau and in the Louvre, Carnavalet and Decorative Arts Museums in Paris, the Courtauld Institute in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Walters Museum in Maryland, among many others.