Matador - Pj Mêne - Mene 1810 - 1879

Period 1877 Origin: France Dimensions Height: 53 cm Base diameter: 21 cm Width: approx. 33 cm Signature on the front left of the terrace: PJMÈNE Dated 1877 Presented in wax at the Salon of 1877 (n° 4000) under the name Toréador Spada-Matador. Presented in bronze, published by Pierre-Jules Mêne himself (n°1349) at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878. Material Bronze proof with brown patina, resting on a round base. Composed of several pieces, the bronze is complete.

Hispanist inspiration Returning from his trip to the Iberian Peninsula, with images in his eyes, Georges Bizet gave his comic opera Carmen for the first time at the Opéra-Garnier on March 3, 1875. Nothing like it to inspire our sculptor. The public is shocked by Carmen, this sulphurous and volatile woman. On the other hand, the Russian composer Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky, the German composer and conductor Johannes Brahms as well as the composer Camille Saint-Saëns unreservedly praised the genius of Georges Bizet. Despite the public's lukewarmness, the Russian composer even predicted that "in 10 years, Carmen will be the most famous opera on the planet." Alas, Georges Bizet will never verify it. He died three months after the premiere, while the successful public was just beginning to appreciate this work... Own publisher of his works, Pierre-Jules Mêne however only cast very few Matadores, barely more than ten. Most of the editions were produced by his own daughter, Julie (1836-1898), wife of the sculptor Auguste Caïn (1821-1894), who had succeeded her father in the editions of his bronzes. The Matador The fight is over. The Matador defeated the bull. Amid applause, he advances, still not quite free from the fight. In one hand, the sword in the other, Brega's greatcoat, this large cape (more than 2.5 meters wide and 1.25 meters high), intense yellow on one side, fuschia on the other. other, that the matador deployed earlier, to play with the bull, at the beginning of Lidia. On the sand of the arena, dotted with traces of the picadores' horseshoes, lies a bouquet of flowers, undoubtedly thrown by some beautiful admirer in the hope of getting noticed by the matador... The fight is over. The Matador salutes. The matador is the one who killed the bull. He is not necessarily the toreador. The peones and picadores who helped him also salute. Discreetly, the arenaros and monosabios are agitating to restore the arena. Wearing his montera, this black boiled wool hat, for the exclusive use of toreadors, and characterized by its two lateral protuberances, and the castanera, this little bun worn by all bullfighters, he wears his Traje de luz. Pierre-Jules Mêne worked the chaquetilla (the short fitted jacket overloaded with embroidery), the chaleco (this vest embroidered in the same color as the jacket), with such finesse and such a perfect sense of detail that they seem a real work of goldsmith. The two epaulettes, las hombreras, are decorated with cabochons and end on the front and back, with two decorative tassels, the machos. The Matador's waist is surrounded by a wide belt, the faja. His pants, or more precisely breeches, taleguilla, are very fitted, embroidered and finished with macho styles. You only have to admire the finesse of the sculptor's work to be convinced that Pierre-Jules Mêne has mastered his art to perfection. The toreador's outfit is completed by the two pairs of stockings that cover his legs, and the zapatillas, these very flexible leather ballerinas with flat soles allowing easy and quick movement.

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