Borghese Gladiator in Bronze, Foundry F. Barbedienne, 2nd Half 19th Century

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Bronze figure of the Borghese Gladiator after the antique original. Stamped on the base “F. Barbedienne” and marked “Reduction Mécanique … Read more Bronze figure of the Borghese Gladiator after the antique original. Stamped on the base “F. Barbedienne” and marked “Reduction Mécanique A. Collas.” The reduction was made using Achille Collas’ innovative mechanical process, which allowed the renowned Parisian foundry to reproduce classical sculptures with exceptional precision and detail. In 1838, Ferdinand Barbedienne partnered with engineer Achille Collas, inventor of the machine à réduction—a pantograph-based device capable of reproducing three-dimensional objects in any scale, either enlarged or reduced. Together they founded the Société Ferdinand Barbedienne et Achille Collas, dedicated to the mechanized production of sculptural masterpieces. By 1841, they had issued reduced bronze versions of major classical works such as the Apollo Belvedere, Spinario, and the Borghese Gladiator. See less