Emmanuel Fremiet (1824-1910), Patinated Bronze “horse Gunner Of The Line”, Second Empire.

Emmanuel FREMIET (1824-1910), PATINATED BRONZE “ARTILLER ON HORSEBACK OF THE LINE”, SECOND EMPIRE. 29450 Bronze with brown patina H 34.5 cm, signed on the terrace “E FREMIET” L 27 cm, l 8 cm. The artilleryman is presented on his mount presenting his sabre. France. Second Empire. Very good condition. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Model listed on page 108 in E. Frémiet, La main et le multiple, Musée des Beaux Arts de Dijon 1988. BIOGRAPHY: Emmanuel Frémiet, French sculptor born in Montrouge on December 6, 18242 and died in Paris on September 10, 1910. His most famous works are the Gorilla Abducting a Woman (1887) today in Nantes, the St-Michel Slaying the Dragon (1897) of Mont-St-Michel, the Joan of Arc (1874) of Paris, the Monument to Ferdinand de Lesseps (1899) of Port-Saïd today in Port-Fouad, the Du Guesclin (1902) of Dinan, the Elephant Caught in a Trap (1878) today in front of the Musée d'Orsay and his numerous animal subjects. Alongside his monumental works commissioned by the State, he was recognised as an excellent realistic animal sculptor. Emmanuel Frémiet devoted himself particularly to equestrian statues. Nephew of the sculptor Rude, he was the father-in-law of the musician Gabriel Fauré. When Prince-President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte came to power in 1848, Frémiet set about reverential works, starting with the prince's basset hounds, Ravageot and Ravageole (1848), which he exhibited at the Salon of 1853, which opened the door to official commissions. That year, he was commissioned to create a series of statuettes on military subjects for Emperor Napoleon III, meticulously executed from 1855 to 1859. He created the Monument to Napoleon I in 1868 and that of Louis d'Orléans in 1869 to decorate the imperial château of Pierrefonds. He lived at 43, boulevard de Beauséjour (16th arrondissement of Paris). He died at his home in the same arrondissement on September 10, 1910 and was buried in the Passy cemetery (15th division)14,15. Gabriel Fauré has been resting at his side since 1924.