Antique French Bronze Marianne Plaque Jules Graux Fondeur 1880 République 12"

Details

Description

Rare and museum-quality antique French bronze relief wall plaque commemorating one of the most significant dates in French republican history … Read more Rare and museum-quality antique French bronze relief wall plaque commemorating one of the most significant dates in French republican history — 14 Juillet 1880, the date Bastille Day was officially declared France’s national holiday by law.

The subject: Marianne, the allegorical personification of the French Republic, depicted in dramatic high relief in left-facing profile, wearing her iconic Phrygian (liberty) cap. The inscription reads “République Française / 14 Juillet 1880.”

The maker: Signed in script on the lower edge — Jules Graux Fondeur, one of the most prestigious Parisian bronze foundries of the 19th century. Established in 1845, the Jules Graux foundry (based at 8 rue du Parc-Royal, Paris) was described at the 1878 Paris International Exhibition as “one of the most eminent bronze manufacturers in Paris.” The foundry cast works for celebrated sculptors including Carrier-Belleuse and Carpeaux.

The piece:

• Material: Solid cast bronze with warm golden patina

• Diameter: 12 inches

• Weight: 3 pounds

• Condition: Normal age-appropriate surface wear and patina; no cracks, losses, or repairs

This is not a reproduction. It is a genuine period piece cast in or shortly after 1880 to mark the formal establishment of Bastille Day — a directly datable, historically significant antique with a fully documented maker.

An exceptional display piece for collectors of French antiques, political history, Belle Époque decorative arts, or 19th-century bronze. See less