Gallic Horseman Or Chief On Horseback Bronze By Emmanuel Frémiet By Barbedienne, Late 19th Century

Gallic Cavalier (Chief) 1864, State Commission. This equestrian statue of a Gallic warrior was created by the sculptor Emmanuel Fremiet, also the author of the statue of Joan of Arc on the Rue des Pyramides in Paris. It is the first attempt at a historical reconstruction of the weaponry of a Gaul from the time of the conquest of Gaul, established from excavation objects*. In reality, the objects are mainly borrowed from the period of the end of the Bronze Age, almost a millennium before the time of Vercingetorix. Nevertheless, Fremiet created the immediately identifiable silhouette of the Gaul, with his large moustache, helmet and breastplate, which we still recognize today. A majestic equestrian figure, this large bronze proof evokes a Gallic horseman - probably Vercingetorix - in a heroic pose. Created in 1864 at the request of Napoleon III for the National Archaeology Museum of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the model is part of the romantic rediscovery of the Gallic origins of France. Height 37.5 cm without lance Signed on the terrace, F. Barbedienne engraved on the width Good condition, brown patina Emmanuel Frémiet, master of animal and equestrian sculpture in the 19th century, is particularly known for his monumental figures of Joan of Arc and Saint George. This bronze testifies to his technical virtuosity and his sensitivity to national history. *Senatus populusque Romanus is a motto in Latin, which means "The Senate and the Roman people"