A Veteran - Bazin

Dimensions: Height: approx. 36 cm; Weight: 3,631 g. Material: Stamped copper with a nuanced brown patina. Signature: Signed on the left side of the base; Titled on the front of the base; Dated on the left side of the base (1801 or 1807).
This beautiful copper bust with a nuanced brown patina, a perfect imitation of bronze, represents a Grognard, a Grenadier of Napoleon I's Imperial Guard. His bearskin cap (hence his nickname… "bear cub"!), his fine mustache (mandatory, but shaved during the winter months), his long hair tied at the nape of his neck (most often, Grenadiers or Chasseurs of the Guard wore their hair in two braids on either side of their head), his weathered face, and his brooding expression are the mark of these valiant soldiers, rugged but whose unwavering devotion to their emperor was unconditional.
The sculptor's name and dates of creation are unknown, but this in no way diminishes his talent. One need only observe the magnificent rendering of the face, each feature revealing the hardships endured in the field. The veterans held a particularly distinguished rank in Napoleon's armies.