Ferdinand Barbedienne

FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE (France, 1810–1892).
“Artemis of Gabios.”
Patinated bronze.
Bears the foundry mark and the mechanical reduction mark of Achille Collas.
Measurements: 52 x 15.5 x 13 cm.
A patinated bronze reduction of the famous Artemis of Gabios, one of the most recognizable examples of classical sculpture in the Louvre Museum (inv. Ma 529). The original sculpture, made of marble, is a Roman copy of a Greek model from the late 4th century B.C., traditionally associated with Praxiteles.
This piece was produced by the prestigious Ferdinand Barbedienne foundry and bears both the foundry’s stamp and the characteristic mechanical reduction stamp of Achille Collas. Of particular significance is its relationship to a copy held in the Royal Collection—slightly larger in size and also cast in bronze by Barbedienne (Royal Collection Trust, inv. RCIN 41026)—which features a composition very similar to that of this piece. This reference allows us to place the piece within the important tradition of reproductions of classical sculpture promoted by Barbedienne and intended for collectors and major European institutions.
Ferdinand Barbedienne was a French cabinetmaker and bronze castor, a leading figure of the Second Empire style. He worked for various sculptors, such as Antoine-Louis Barye. In 1839, he partnered with Achille Collas, with whom he established a bronze foundry in Paris that eventually employed three hundred workers. In addition to bronze objects, they produced furniture and silver pieces in an eclectic style ranging from Neo-Renaissance to Neo-Louis XVI.