This is a wonderful antique French Grand Tour gilt bronze model of the�Vend�me�Column, circa 1880 in date.This splendid bronze features Napoleon I standing atop in his ''redingote'' coat and trademark hat, after the original by Charles-Emile Seurre. Construction on the original Vend�me column was started in 1806 at Napoleon�s direction to celebrate the victory of Austerlitz, and completed in 1810.The spiralling column is covered in delightful bas-relief bronze plates - which resemble the original bronze plates constructed out of cannons taken from the combined armies of Europe.It is raised on an elegant black marble platform base.This stunning high-quality bronze is superbly cast and has an elegant bronze patina. It is made from the lost-wax process, otherwise known as ''cire perdue'' method.The attention to detail and quality throughout this piece is second to none.Condition:In excellent condition.Dimensions in cm:Height 28 cm x Width 9 cm x Depth 9 cmDimensions in inches:Height 11 inches x Width 3 inches x Depth 3 inchesPlace Vend�meis a square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the �glise de la Madeleine. It is the starting point of the Rue de la Paix. Its regular architecture by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and pedimented screens canted across the corners give the rectangular Place Vend�me the aspect of an octagon.The original Vend�me Column at the centre of the square was erected by Napoleon I to commemorate the Battle of Austerlitz; it was torn down on 16 May 1871, by decree of the Paris Commune, but subsequently re-erected and remains a prominent feature on the square today.Lost Wax Methodsometimes called by the French name of cire perdue or the Latin, cera perduta is the process by which a bronze or brass is cast from an artists sculpture.In industrial uses, the modern process is called investment casting. An ancient practice, the ...