Beautiful Bronze 19th Century. With Brown Patina Representing Voltaire In Foot 18.5 Cm High

[Voltaire] - Not signed. Bronze of Voltaire standing leaning on a cane.

Bronze with brown patina, nuanced medal, on cylindrical bronze base dotted with vegetation, diameter 77 mm, height 185 mm (base included).

Chased bronze unsigned and without foundry stamp but perfectly executed and in perfect condition, most certainly dating from the second half of the 19th century. The attribution of this model, often associated with that of Rousseau, is very uncertain. The model is sometimes attributed to Houdon, sometimes to Forestier, sometimes again to the studio of Claude-Antoine Rosset (cf. Voltaire, bronze, H. 32.5 cm, Paris, Musée du Louvre, inv. OA 5297); a similar model in patinated plaster, which went on sale in 2019 at Delon-Hoebanx, was signed and dated on the base "Suzanne" "1790" and therefore attributed to François-Marie Suzanne (1750-1802). Our example is reduced in size compared to those sometimes found in the auction room (most of the time larger than 300 mm).