Henri Peinte – Orpheus Lulling Cerberus To Sleep, A Bronze Sculpture Donated By The City Of Cambrai In 1890

A bronze group with a brown patina depicting Orpheus lulling Cerberus to sleep, a work by the French sculptor Henri Peinte (1845–1912).

Orpheus, depicted standing, plays his lyre above Cerberus, guardian of the Underworld, whose three heads are dozing off under the influence of his music.

The bronze is signed “H. Peinte” on the rock and rests on an elegant polygonal pedestal made of veined red marble.

An engraved brass plaque affixed to the pedestal bears the inscription:

“THE CITY OF CAMBRAI
TO MR. PIERRE GIRARD
IN MEMORY
OF SEPTEMBER 1890”

This dedication provides a particularly interesting insight into the history of this specific sculpture.

Henri Peinte, born in Cambrai in 1845, was a student of Francisque Duret, Eugène Guillaume, and Jules Cavelier at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

The model of Orpheus Lulling Cerberus to Sleep was created in 1887. A large bronze cast was acquired by the French government in 1888, and the work was exhibited at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, where Henri Peinte received an award.

Our copy, donated by the City of Cambrai in September 1890, is therefore from the early years of the model’s production and, due to its municipal dedication, holds particular historical significance directly linked to the sculptor’s hometown.

The bronze is of fine quality and retains a pleasant, nuanced brown patina.