Jean-louis Grégoire (1840–1890) – Perseus Rescuing Andromeda – Boyer Frères

A significant patinated bronze sculpture by Jean-Louis Grégoire (1840–1890) depicting Perseus Rescuing Andromeda, one of the most famous episodes in Greek mythology.

Condemned to be sacrificed to a sea monster, Andromeda was chained to a rock by the sea. Perseus, returning from his victorious battle against Medusa, spotted the young princess, defeated the monster, and rescued her.

Here, Grégoire chose to depict not the battle itself, but the moment of her rescue. Perseus, recognizable in particular by his winged helmet, delicately supports Andromeda while she, her arms still raised, appears to be freeing herself from her bonds.

The closeness of the two figures, their gazes, the upward movement of the composition, and the elegant drapery lend the work a remarkable blend of heroic strength, grace, and romanticism.

The quality of the craftsmanship is particularly remarkable. The characters’ anatomy, their facial expressions, their hands, the deeply modeled drapery, and the numerous details of Perseus’s costume attest to the care taken in the modeling and casting. The group rests on a naturalistic pedestal, also rendered with a wealth of detail.

The bronze features a beautiful warm, nuanced brown patina, which particularly highlights the relief and the finesse of the chiseling.

The work is signed on the base:

“L. Grégoire”

and bears the mark of the Parisian bronze casters:

“Boyer Frères, Bronze Casters in Paris”

The presence of this mark is a particularly interesting feature of this piece. The firm Boyer Frères, active in Paris during the second half of the 19th century, was renowned for producing high-quality art bronzes and decorative bronzes for furniture.

The group is presented on its large, original rotating red marble pedestal, richly adorned with finely chiseled gilt-bronze mounts.

The rotating mechanism allows the sculpture to be admired from every angle and highlights the truly three-dimensional nature of this composition. With its marble and gilded bronze base, the ensemble reaches a total height of 78 cm and has a particularly imposing presence.

The original marble base has undergone professional restoration, which is noted here for the sake of transparency. It retains its rotating function as well as its beautiful overall appearance.

With a height of approximately 65 cm for the bronze alone, this is a generously sized version of this composition by Jean-Louis Grégoire.

A remarkable example of French bronze sculpture from the second half of the 19th century, combining a mythological subject, Romantic sensibility, and the high quality of craftsmanship characteristic of Parisian bronze casters.

Period: second half of the 19th century
Origin: France, Paris
Sculptor: Jean-Louis Grégoire (1840–1890)
Subject: Perseus Rescuing Andromeda
Bronzeworker: Boyer Frères, Bronze Casters in Paris
Materials: patinated bronze, red marble, and gilded bronze
Signature: “L. Grégoire”
Mark: “ Boyer Frères, Bronze Casters in Paris”
Overall dimensions: 78 × 65 × 43 cm
Height of the bronze alone: approximately 65 cm
Condition: very good overall condition. Original rotating marble base that has undergone professional restoration.

Worldwide shipping.
Professional packaging and insured shipping in a custom-made wooden crate.