Gravener Antiques

Description

A very large, life size, French Patinated Bronze Bust of Jesus Christ, Signed J. Clesinger, Rome 1858 & F. Barbedienne Fondeur. 660mm high, 460mm wide and 380mm deep.

Jean-Baptiste Clésinger (FRENCH, 1814-1883)

French sculptor and painter (born in Besançon on October 20, 1814, died in Paris on January 5, 1883), son of sculptor Georges Clésinger, Auguste Clésinger studied sculpture, with his father who took him to Rome.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892) French industrialist. He is mainly known for his bronze art reproduction foundry. Son of a modest Norman farmer, he made a first fortune in wallpapers before associating in 1838 with the mechanic Achille Collas

Achille Collas (1795–1859) The bronze also bears the mark "Reduction Mecanique a collas brevete" which translates to english as "Patented Collas Mechanical Reduction" a process invented by Achille Collas (1795–1859) who was a French engineer, inventor, writer and engraver who developed a way of mechanically creating engravings after medallions and other reliefs, and a machine to copy sculptures at a smaller scale, the so-called "réduction méchanique", which popularized small sculptures and has been credited with being almost entirely responsible for "the transformation of the bronze industry".
W J Gravener Antiques is a family owned business, started in 1963 by William who was joined by son, Mark in 1981 and continues today with the same ethos of dealing in fine quality English and Continental furniture, mirrors and decorative objects, from the 18th & 19th centuries. Now under the stewardship of Mark and his wife, Louise, we take pride in maintaining the high standards which William set more than 50 years ago.

W.J.Gravener Antiques are proud members of LAPADA, The London and Provincial Antique Dealers Association.

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