Sculpture Bronze - A Find In Pompeii , Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin (1832-1884)

Important and rare bronze proof representing a young man , "The Excavator of the Excavations" .
He exhibits his find , "a Roman statuette" found in the excavations of Pompeii , by the sculptor Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin (1832-1884) .
The boy appears naked, performing a dance of joy , he emerges victorious from his excavations with a Roman statuette .
His naked pose reflects that of the statuette itself , perhaps indicating that the statue represents the excavator , imagining himself in the pose of the original statuette .
Sculpture signed "MOULIN" in hollow , and circular stamp of the founder "Thiébaut Frères Paris" on the terrace .
Old bronze , period second half of the 19th century .
Very good state of conservation and patina .

Height at the head of "The Excavator" : 82 cm
Total height : 98 cm

The sculpture "A find in Pompeii" won a Medal at the Paris Salon of 1864 , it became the most famous work of Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin (1832-1884) .
The original, life-size , was purchased by the French government for 7,000 francs and exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in 1867 .
It stands today on a high pedestal at the Orsay Museum , next to the "Rooster Winner" by Alexandre Falguière .

Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin (1832-1884)

Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin , is a famous French sculptor , born in Paris on June 12 , 1832 .

Admitted to the School of Fine Arts in Paris , on April 6 , 1855 , he was a student of Auguste Ottin (1811-1890) and Antoine-Louis Barye (1795-1875). Subsequently , he improved his skills and worked alone .
He participated in the Salon from 1857 to 1878 , with busts of contemporaries , including those of Henri Monnier and Antoine-Louis Barye, "antiquarian" scenes and genre scenes .
His best-known work "A find in Pompeii" (Bronze) , was exhibited at the Salon in 1864 and was awarded a medal .
He won medals at the Salon in 1864 , 1867 and 1869 .
He also won a medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1878 .

Hippolyte Alexandre Moulin died on December 27, 1883 at his home , at 51 Grande-Rue in Saint-Maurice .

Main works :

"Secret from above" and "A find in Pompeii" at the Orsay Museum .
"Leconte de Lisle", bust at the Montparnasse Cemetery .
"Antoine-Louis Barye" , bust at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery .