Excellent French mid 19th Century Animalier bronze portaiture study of the French Derby winner "Ibrahim", with rich brown lightly rubbed patination and fine hand finished surface detail, inscribed to the fore with the name of the stallion and signed on the naturalistic base ~ P J Mene
Ibrahim was a celebrated French Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 19th-century French Derby (Prix du Jockey Club) in 1823. Bred by the renowned owner and breeder Eugène-Alexandre Mouchy, Ibrahim was sired by the influential stallion Sultan out of the mare Arcadia. His victory in the Derby marked him as one of the prominent racehorses of his time, contributing to the rising prestige of French racing. Following his racing career, Ibrahim became a successful sire, influencing European bloodlines. His legacy is noted for helping establish a foundation for French racing and breeding excellence in the 19th century.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 31 cm
Width: 37 cm
Depth: 12 cm
Condition: Excellent Condition with slight wear to patina
Circa: 1850
Materials: Bronze
Book Ref Pierre-Jules Mêne Catalogue Raisonée
Page no. 61
SKU: 9242
ABOUT
P J Mene, French 1810 ~ 1879
P.J.Mene is probably the best known of the French Animaliers School and his bronzes are today among the most highly prized in this genre. Surrounded as we are by disturbance and even violence, collectors of his work can find relaxation and enjoyment in contemplating the innate grace and beauty of his sculpture.
Beginning in 1838 Mêne worked at his own foundry, casting first his own works and later also those of his son-in-law Auguste Cain. He became absorbed in the meticulous work of casting and chiselling and ensured that during his lifetime the bronzes that were cast were always checked for quality, colour and finish before they were allowed to leave the foundry.
As a regular exhibitor at the Salon des Beaux-Arts many of Mêne’s subjects were shown to the general public in this popular showcase where acclaim and criticism could be judged before including the subject in his general Ouevre. This also served to establish public awareness of his new works and provides a useful reference when dating the origin of a particular cast. As a further point of reference Mêne produced a catalogue of all his works and each of his models has an identifiable catalogue number.
After Mêne’s death in 1879 the Barbedienne and Susse Frères foundries acquired the rights to reproduce his many of his important models and these posthumous casts are marked F Barbedienne Fondeur and Susse Frères fondeur editeur respectively. These bronzes are of a fine quality and are cast by the leading bronze foundries in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, however they do not have the vitality and attention to detail that Mêne achieved on the casts from his own foundry.
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