A LARGE PAIR OF MID 19TH CENTURY FRENCH BRONZE MODELS OF THE MARLEY HORSES ON BOULLE STANDS

AFTER THE MODELS BY GUILLAUME COUSTOU (FRENCH, 1677-1746)

each horse rearing beside a semi-clad male figure, on naturalistic bases, dark brown patination, raised on ebonised, cut brass, ormolu mounted and tortoiseshell inlaid Boulle style plinths,

the bronzes 57cm high, 73cm high overall, the plinths 48cm wide x 27cm deep

This lot is subject to CITES due to the tortoiseshell.

Coustou's design for the Marly horses reinvented the theme of the colossal Roman marbles in the Piazza Quirinale, Rome. The original full size pair were produced for Louis XVI's royal hunting lodge at Marly / Marley.

Auction comparable: See Christie's, London, 6 June 2017, lot 285, £17,500, also featuring Boulle style plinths.