Henry IV Child

Large bronze statue of the young Henry of Navarre, future King Henry IV. The young boy 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 Henry IV as a child contributed to its success as much as dynastic considerations. This work is in fact a tribute to the Bourbon dynasty, restored to the throne after the Revolution and the Empire, and glorifies its illustrious founder with this youthful portrait. The effigy enjoyed considerable success throughout the Restoration. This statue was commissioned by the Minister of the Interior, Duke Decazes for the city of Pau. The original plaster, exhibited at the Salon of 1822, was copied in different formats. King Louis XVIII ordered a personal copy in solid silver for his bedroom at the Tuileries Palace (Kept at the Louvre Museum). The example offered here is one of the large models reproduced in bronze, with a beautiful size of 41 cm high.