After Guillaume Coustou the Elder, The Marly Horses, France, 19th Century, Bronze and Marble, Set of 2

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The pair of sculptural compositions known as “The Marly Horses”, also referred to as “The Horse Tamers”, represents a highly … Read more The pair of sculptural compositions known as “The Marly Horses”, also referred to as “The Horse Tamers”, represents a highly accomplished bronze interpretation of one of the most celebrated works of French court sculpture of the 18th century. The compositions derive from the original marble group created by Guillaume Coustou the Elder for the terrace of the royal château of Marly-le-Roi during the reign of Louis XV. The sculptures depict nude youths exerting great effort to restrain rearing horses. The dramatic tension of the scene is conveyed through the powerful contrast between the untamed energy of the animals and the academically precise treatment of human anatomy. The figures are conceived in complex spatial movement, creating a strong sense of continuous action and internal dynamism characteristic of the finest examples of French monumental sculpture. The bronzes are cast with exceptional attention to detail. The musculature of the human figures, the animated manes and strained necks of the horses, as well as the expressive gestures and corporeal plasticity, are all rendered with remarkable clarity. The surfaces retain a deep, even patina of a warm tone, enhancing the sculptural relief and the play of light and shadow. Each figure is mounted on a shaped marble base of harmonious coloration, lending the ensemble a distinctly ceremonial and interior-oriented presence.

Material: Bronze; marble. Dimensions: Height – 66 cm; Width – 53 cm; Depth – 48 cm (each sculpture). Condition: Good. Provenance: Photo archive of a private collection. Formerly part of a private collection displayed in the Liechtenstein palaces, Stadtpalais Vienna and Schloss Vaduz, Liechtenstein, 1945. See less