BARYE ANTOINE-LOUIS: (1795-1875) "I accept the order consisting of a clock which will represent Apollo on a chariot ...

BARYE ANTOINE-LOUIS: (1795-1875) "I accept the order consisting of a clock which will represent Apollo on a chariot drawn by four horses"

BARYE ANTOINE-LOUIS: (1795-1875) French Sculptor of the Romantic period, most famous for his work as an Animalier, a sculptor of animals. Widely considered together with Rodin and Carpeaux as the three great French sculptors of the XIXth century. Although fame did not come until late in life, examples of his larger work include various lions and tigers in the gardens of the Tuileries and the Lion Assis ("Setaed Lion") exhibited at the Louvre museum in Paris. A rare autograph letter with excellent content, A.L.S., `Barye´, one page, 4to, Paris, 20th May 1858, to Mr. Séchan, in French. Barye in a clean writing accepts an order request that he received four months earlier for a sculpture which he values and describes in full detail, stating `J´accepte la commande que vous me faites à la date du 29 Janvier 1858, consistant en une: pendule se portant sur une cheminée, cette pendule représentera Apollon sur un char attelé de quatre chevaux, modèle de cette pendule et son épreuve unique; Mme Pérère restant propriétaire. Compris marbre et dorure, moins le mouvement. Prix convenu à forfait - 14000 Fr. Plus: Candélabres se plaçant de chaque côté de la pendule, pour le modèle et les deux épreuves uniques, Mme Pérère restant également propriétaire du modèle, compris marbre et dorure. Prix convenu à forfait - 6000 Fr. Il est Bien entendu qu´il ne restera des modèles que les fragments des plâtres plus ou moins endommagés qui auront servi à la fonte des épreuves uniques.´ (Translation: "I accept the order that you made to me on January 29th, 1858, consisting of a: clock which will represent Apollo on a chariot drawn by four horses, model of this clock and its unique proof; Mrs. Pérère remaining the owner. Including marble and gilding, less the machinery. Agreed fixed price - 14,000 Fr. Plus: Candelabra to be placed on each side of the clock, for the model and the two unique proofs, Mrs. Pérère also remaining the owner of the model, including marble and gilding. Agreed fixed price - 6,000 Fr. It is understood that only the fragments of the more or less damaged plasters that will have been used to cast the unique proofs will remain.") With address leaf, postmarked and stamped. Very small minor creasing, otherwise VG

The sculpture detailed and valued by Barye in the present letter is a bronze with a height of 80cm, it is considered one of the summits of the artist's work.

The critic Paul Manz described the present work this way `Apollon, conduisant son char, se présente de face; des deux côtés s´avancent les Heures, figures légères qui tiennent la bride des cheveaux. Les types sont empruntés à ce que l´antiquité nous a laissé de plus pur et de plus charmant; les cheveaux d´Apollon sont admirables dans leur allure savamment rythmée... Nous ne connaissons, parmi les productions de l´art industriel moderne, aucun oeuvre qui puisse lui être comparée, et Versailles, au temps de ses splendeurs, n´a rien eu de plus beau dans son mobilier royal´ (Translation: "Apollo, driving his chariot, is presented front face; on both sides advanced the Hours, light figures holding the bridle of the horses. The types are borrowed from what antiquity has left us of the purest and most charming; Apollo's horses are admirable in their skillfully rhythmic allure... We do not know, among the productions of modern industrial art, any work that can be compared to it, and Versailles, at the time of its splendors, had nothing more beautiful in its royal furniture")

We learn with this letter that the original model was the property of "Madame Pérère", who was the wife of the banker Isaac Pérère, who placed the order with Barye for his hotel in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

The work is at today´s date exhibited at the Musée d´Orsay in Paris.