COMTE HENRI-GEOFFROY DE LA PLANCHE DE RUILLE (FRENCH, 1842-1922): A RARE EQUESTRIAN BRONZE MODEL OF A LADY RIDING SIDE SADDLE WITH A HOUND the trotting horse with a greyhound running along beside, on a naturalistic base signed 'C. de Riulle', dark brown patination, 42cm high x 48cm wide As is apparent from this exceptionally well modelled and proportioned bronze, Comte Geoffroy de Ruillé was not only a talented sculptor but also an experienced horseman. A painting by René Princeteau (1849-1914) in the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, entitled 'Le Comte Geoffroy de Ruillé chassant à courre avec son fils à ses côtés', shows him confidently galloping across a field, and his sculptures were nearly all of equestrian theme. His admiration for ladies that were able to hunt side saddle is obvious in this composition, where the graceful rider is ably perched on the side of the saddle and looking down to the hound whilst the horse moves forward at a fast gait. Comte de Ruille exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1884 until 1921 and all of his submissions were of equestrian theme. His bronzes were cast in small limited editions; he produced a similar pair of bronzes depicting a female riding side saddle and a male huntsman which appear at auction occasionally, but this larger bronze with the hound running alongside is even rarer. The sculptor also produced a bronze equestrian model of Emperor Nicholas II in 1900, an example which came to auction at Sotheby's, New York, 21 April 2008, lot 58 realised $27,000.