Mercier Antonin (1845-1916) – David Vainqueur

David Vainqueur, large bronze sculpture with original brown patina representing David sheathing his sword and his foot placed on the head of Goliath. The circular base decorated with oriental motifs is signed A MERCIE, F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR and bears the Collas mechanical reduction stamp. MERCIER Antonin (1845-1916) Student of François JOUFFROY and Alexandre FALGUIERE at the Paris School of Fine Arts. At the age of twenty-three, he won the first grand prize in Rome with his Theseus, Victor of the Minotaur. In 1872 he sent the plaster model of his David Vainqueur from Rome to the salon and obtained the first class medal, the first great success at the Salon. followed in 1874 by Gloria Victis, these two works experienced extraordinary success, and were reduced and printed in numerous copies by the Collas process. Numerous commissions for commemorative and funeral monuments marked his career. From 1880, Antonin MERCIE also practiced painting, he was appointed in 1913, three years before his death, president of the Society of French Artists. The large bronze of David commissioned by the state in 1872, with a height of 184.1cm, is kept in Paris at the Musée d'Orsay. Weight 13 kg