Jules Moigniez Bronze Sculpture: Pheasant Hen And Her Chicks Signed On The Terrace, 19th Century

Adorable little animal bronze signed by Jules Moigniez (1835-1894) 19th century Very finely chiseled set Hen looking at her young waiting to be fed with great expression in her eyes Terrace with plants Shaded brown patina Hollow signature J. Moigniez on the terrace Very good general condition h: 13.4 cm long: 11.6 cm wide: 6.8 cm Jules Moigniez: Jules Moigniez (May 28, 1835 – May 29, 1894) was a French animal sculptor of the 19th century. His production was mainly in bronze and he frequently exhibited his sculptures at the Paris Salon. He was best known for his bronzes representing birds, although his talent and versatility allowed him to produce quality horse sculptures (mainly racehorses), dog sculptures and hunting scenes. His bird sculptures were among the finest ever created at his time. Biography: Jules Moigniez was born in Senlis on May 28, 1835, the son of a metal gilder. Moigniez's father purchased a foundry to cast his son's sculptures, which was a great advantage to Moigniez as he did not have the additional foundry costs that most of his contemporaries had to pay. Moigniez studied sculpture under Paul Comoléra (a student of François Rude) in Paris. It is most likely that Moigniez's attraction to bird sculpture was a direct result of his education under Comoléra, who was himself a bird specialist. These bird sculptures are reminiscent of the paintings of deHondecoeter, Casteels, and Snyders. Moigniez's bird sculptures reflect dynamic movement, as if captured by a high-speed photographic portrait. A wide variety of patinas, including silver plate, gilt bronze, and gilding, were unique. During his forty-year career as a sculptor, Moigniez exhibited thirty works at the Salon between 1855 and 1892. His first participation in a major art exhibition, at the age of twenty, was his plaster, Pointer Pausing in Front of a Pheasant, at the Universal Exhibition of 1855. He then exhibited regularly at the Salon, from 1859 to 1892, where he received an honorable mention in his first year. He presented his sculptures again at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1878. Moigniez is known for the fine detail and chiseling of his sculptures. His bronzes, usually cast using the lost-wax method, are always impeccably chiseled and patinated, and are particularly sought after in the United Kingdom. More than half of his lifetime output was sold in England. By the end of the 19th century, his sculptures had also become popular in the United States. Unlike other animal painters of the period such as P.J. Mêne and Antoine-Louis Barye, Moigniez's bird sculptures often incorporated highly detailed bases with bushes, extensive foliage, and undergrowth. His casts were generally of excellent quality with a wide variety of patinas, with gold and silver patinas being the most sought after by collectors. His bronzes could be criticized for an excess of detail, the result of overly meticulous and excessive chiselling. Moigniez redeemed himself, however, by representing in his sculpture a certain "elegance of attitudes." His Chien braque arrêtant un faisan (1859), cast in bronze, was acquired by the French government for the Château de Compiègne. By December 1869, his sculptures had begun to be imported to the United States by the Philadelphia jewelry store J.E. Caldwell & Co. The store also carried works by Grégoire, Carrier-Belleuse, Mêne, and other French sculptors. Moigniez suffered from a long illness in the last years of his life. He died in Saint-Martin-du-Tertre, France, by his own hands, when he committed suicide one day after his 59th birthday, on May 29, 1894. His bird sculptures are among the finest ever created.