Lot n° 57
Estimation :
3000 - 5000
EUR
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MERCIÉ Antonin, 1845–1916, - Lot 57
MERCIÉ Antonin, 1845–1916,
Gloria victis,
bronze group with brown and gold patina, F. BARBEDIENNE, foundry; mechanical reduction by A. Collas (sword slightly bent, minor signs of wear on the patina), on the base: A. MERCIÉ and the foundry marks; on the underside: No. 321 Z in relief,
H: 92.5 cm.
Presented at the 1874 Salon, where it received the Medal of Honor, Gloria Victis ranks among Antonin Mercié’s major works. Conceived in the aftermath of the 1870 war, the composition depicts a winged allegory of Glory supporting a defeated soldier holding his broken sword. Through its very title, the work pays tribute to the French soldiers who fell during the conflict and quickly established itself as one of the symbols of patriotic remembrance in the Third Republic.
The sculpture was so well received that several municipalities sought permission to erect monumental versions of it. One such version was installed in Niort in 1881, while others were erected in Bordeaux, Châlons-sur-Marne, and Cholet. These commissions helped make Gloria Victis one of the most famous commemorative representations of the Franco-Prussian War.
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