Paul-édouard Delabrièrre – Spaniels On The Hunt – Miniature Animal Bronze Sculpture, 19th Century

A charming miniature bronze sculpture with a brown patina, created by Paul-Édouard Delabrièrre (1829–1912), depicting two spaniels on the hunt. The bronze is signed “DELABRIERRE” on the base.

The two dogs are depicted around a fallen game animal, in particularly lively poses: one, with its body lowered and head near the ground, appears to be sniffing out the prey, while the other stands proudly erect, head held high. The base, entirely modeled in a naturalistic style, evokes rugged hunting terrain.

Despite its very small size, the composition retains a fine level of precision. The attention to detail in the dogs’ poses, anatomy, and coats, as well as in the rendering of the ground, attests to the care taken with this true collector’s piece.

The bronze retains a beautiful antique brown patina, with subtle variations on the reliefs, which pleasantly highlights the details of the modeling.

Paul-Édouard Delabrièrre was one of the leading figures in French animal sculpture of the second half of the 19th century. Exhibiting at the Salon as early as the 1840s, he devoted a significant portion of his work to wild animals, dogs, and hunting scenes. His hunting scenes, prized for their naturalism and the accuracy of the animals’ poses, constitute a defining feature of his body of work.

This model is known by the title “Spaniels on the Hunt”. Another signed example of the same model and dimensions is documented on the art market, confirming the identification of the composition.

A lovely collector’s piece, notable for its signature, its hunting theme, and above all for its appealing miniature format, which is uncommon for an animal bronze of this quality.