Panther Of Constantine And Gazelle - Bronze By Pierre-jules Mêne (1810 - 1879)

Pierre-Jules Mêne (1810 - 1879)
Panther of Constantine and gazelle
Bronze with silver patina
H.: 7 cm; W.: 19.3 cm; D.: 7 cm
Signed "PJ MÊNE" on the base
Old cast bronze

At the beginning of the 1840s, the romantic current was explicitly manifested in the art of Mêne, when his sculptures were inspired by predation, violence of nature and the animal world. This group, of which there are very few examples, was presented at the Salon of 1841 under the title Panthère de Constantine et gazelle. The same year, Mêne presented another subject: an Icelandic fox and a rooster. The magazine L'Artiste evokes our sculpture in its report of the Salon:

"The Panther of Constantine, also in bronze, holds a charming gazelle stretched out under its claw, and it is a vigorous animal, with elegant shapes, undulating movements and supple, full of strength and agility."

There is another model, just as rare, featuring only the panther.

Literature

– M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Pierre-Jules Mêne, catalogue raisonné, Paris: Univers du Bronze, 2007, p. 194 (F&F7), (rep.).
– “Salon of 1841”, in L’Artiste, 2nd series, volume 7, Paris, 1841, pp. 366 – 367.