Pair Of Cloisonné Enamel And Bronze Vases Signed Barbedienne

Pair of vases in cloisonné enamel and gilded bronze mount Signed by the famous BARBEDIENNE foundry Perfect general condition Delivery 40 euros Maison Barbedienne, founded in 1834, was one of the most important artistic bronze companies in France in the 19th century. The founder of the House, Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892), one of the great bronziers of his time, was an aesthete, an outstanding technician and a wise industrialist. Ferdinand Barbedienne joined forces in 1838 with Achille Collas (1795-1859) – the inventor of the process of mechanical reduction of statues – and was able to considerably extend the production of small edition bronzes. Its success was largely based on its commercial policy and strategy. The mechanical reduction process initially allowed their company to distribute reductions of antiques before they thought of soliciting models from living artists. The Venus de Milo, the Diana of Gabies, the Lorenzo de Medici were among the first works in major museums to be reproduced. Ferdinand Barbedienne was the first to reproduce in small sizes the most beautiful sculptures in European museums, such as the sculptures of Antoine Louis Barye. His idea was to democratize art by making faithful reproductions of masterpieces accessible. His choice of an “academic” repertoire close to the dominant taste met the requirements of a bourgeois clientele looking for safe values.