Henri IV As A Child – After François-joseph Bosio (monaco, 1768 - Paris, 1845)

Bronze with brown patina - Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810 – 1892)
The young Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV, is depicted bareheaded, leaning against a tree trunk, his left hand clutching his sword, his right leg slightly bent. The exceptional quality of the sculpture, the natural pose, the freshness and youthful charm of this Henri IV as a child made him as successful as the dynastic considerations.
François-Joseph Bosio was one of King Louis XVIII's favorite sculptors. It was during his reign that he created this statue of Henri IV as a child, the plaster model of which was presented at the Salon of 1822. A subtle homage to the Bourbon dynasty restored after the Revolution and the Empire, this childish portrait of its illustrious founder. This effigy enjoyed considerable success. This is the most copied sculpted work of the Restoration: we know of versions in silver (Louvre Museum), marble (Château de Versailles and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Pau) or bronze like the sculpture present in the collections of the Château de Pau since the 19th century. Bronze reductions were also produced by the Barbedienne house (our model), allowing this work to enter aristocratic or bourgeois homes.
Height: 37 cm