AFTER PIERRE JULES MENE (FRENCH 1810-1879): A LATE 19TH CENTURY BRONZE OF 'LACCOLADE' CAST BY SUSSE FRERES, PARIS, depicting an Arab mare and stallion on a naturalistic oval base, signed and dated P J Mene, 1865 and with foundry stamp Susse Freres Eds Paris,
43.5cm high x 71cm wide

Property from an English Private Collection.

L'Accolade is perhaps Mene's most famous work. Originally entitled 'Tachiani and Nedjebe Chevaux Arabes', it was first exhibited as a red wax sculpture with a thin black patina at the Salon of 1852. The first bronze version was exhibited at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855, where it won the sculptor a medal. L'Accolade was cast in three different sizes by the sculptor himself and also after his death by the presitigous Parisian bronze foundries Barbedienne and Susse Freres, who purchased the sculptor's original models from a sale of the contents of his workshop in 1879. The present bronze was therefore probably cast from the sculptor's original model and the finish, chasing and patination are of the finest quality synonomous with Susse Freres, who were undoubtedly one of the most highly regarded bronze foundries of the late 19th and early 20th century.

A further cast by Susse Freres was sold at Christie's Paris, 15 July 2020, lot 118 sold for 6000 euros.