Large sculpture in patinated bronze " Cheval de Marly " after coustou XIX

Large sculpture in patinated bronze " Cheval de Marly " after coustou XIX
Unfortunately, this item is no longer available.
Discover a selection of similar items.

Item offered for sale by

See the gallery
This description has been translated and may not be completely accurate. Click here to see the original

Large sculpture in patinated bronze " Cheval de Marly " after coustou XIX

French school Second Empire, and Parisian art foundry of the end of the XIXth century around 1860/1870. Signature Coustou.

Very good condition, superb brown patina Medal Beautiful and large Total dimensions Height: 48 cm Length : 40 cm Depth : 18 cm

Superb original brown patina. Traces of use and age, minimal wear...It rests on a large terrace Naturalist Rocker.very nice overall condition, no accidents, no restorations, and with its original patina, simply cleaned and waxed. Probably the wire strap is not original. Provenance of a French Private Collection.

after the work of Guillaume Coustou "The Horses of Marly", this one representing a rearing horse held by a groom.

The horse, with its disheveled mane and dilated nostrils, is struggling to escape the grip of the man, by a young Amerindian groom. One will notice particularly the strength of the expression of the movement of the bodies in tension in this group.

Originally in Pair ,

Coustou puts in scene two fiery horses with their grooms, almost stripped and muscular (Amerindians), their bodies tense by the effort. The sculptor renders with vitality the struggle of wild and contrary forces, the two animals struggle with fury in an impetuous fight against their masters. Victor Hugo admired "these neighing marbles rearing on a golden cloud".


The sculptor observed much from life, in the rendering of equine anatomy and in the furious expression of the horses. He also took as models several sculpted groups of horses, such as the Dioscuri of the Quirinal Palace in Rome, as well as French creations: The horses of Apollo sculpted by the brothers Gaspard and Balthazar Marsy for the grotto of Téthys in Versailles, and, more recently, the relief of the Horses of the Sun, a masterpiece of the sculptor Robert Le Lorrain sculpted in 1737 on the facade of the stables of the Hôtel de Rohan.

History of the work :

The Horses of Marly were commissioned in 1739 by Louis XV to the sculptor Guillaume Coustou, to decorate "the watering hole of Marly" located at the entrance of the park of the castle of Marly, in order to replace two sculpted groups. These two groups, Mercury on Horseback on Pegasus and Renown on Horseback on Pegasus by Antoine Coysevox, had indeed been moved in 1719 to the Tuileries gardens. The models were chosen by the king in 1743, and were installed in Marly in 1745, after only two years of work.

In 1794, they were transferred to the Place de la Concorde. They were restored in 1840 by Louis-Denis Caillouette (1790-1868).

In 1984, mainly because they were weakened by the armored parade of July 14, they were replaced by copies in reconstituted marble made by Michel Bourbon. The originals are kept in the Louvre Museum in an old courtyard of the Richelieu wing transformed into a patio, called the Marly courtyard.

Great chiseling of the elements and a very beautiful execution in the details. No distinctive signature. The quality is undeniable of a work of a Parisian foundry with a great mastery of the technique of bronzes.

It can be placed on a beautiful console or sheath or various pieces of furniture, or in a particular setting, to create a unique and sumptuous decor with a historical character.

Fast shipping with tracking, and secure package, delivery Worldwide.

Ref: 1U04PD1V0B

Style Second Empire style, Napoleon III style (Bronze sculptures of Second Empire style, Napoleon III style Style)
Period 19th century (Bronze sculptures 19th century)
Country of origin France
Artist D'aprés Coustou
Length (cm) 40 cm
Height (cm) 48 cm
Shipping Time Ready to ship in 2-3 Business Days
Location 49000, ANGERS, France
Antikeo Buyer Guarantee

4 commitments to buy with confidence

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.