Antique Patinated Bronze Equestrian Statue of Napoleon Bonaparte C1870 19th C

This is a superb antique patinated bronze Equestrian Statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, circa 1870 in date.

This stunning patinated bronze statue portrays the French leader in his typical uniform - wearing a bicorn hat, epaulettes, chivalrous orders and military decorations, waistcoat, sword and knee-high boots - while riding his horse, Marango, with his right-hand arm raised upward in the act of commanding.

The horse is moving with the two front legs raised conveying a great sense of movement. The figure of Napoleon is extremely life-like as much as to convey the idea of a strong military leader, emanating power and energy.

It is raised on a magnificent foliate parcel-gilt bronze and sienna marble stepped rectangular plinth with a large bronze laurel wreath.

This high-quality hot cast solid bronze was produced by using the traditional "lost wax" process, otherwise known as the "cire perdue" method.

The craftsmanship is second to none throughout all aspects of this bronze which is sure to add an unparalleled touch of class to your home.

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 46 cm x Width 24 cm x Depth 15 cm

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 6 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 6 inches

Napoleon Bonaparte (French:15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a military and political leader of France and Emperor of the French as Napoleon I, whose actions shaped European politics in the early 19th century.

Napoleon was born in Corsica to parents of minor noble Italian ancestry and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France. Bonaparte rose to prominence under the French First Republic and led successful campaigns against the First and Second Coalitions arrayed against France. In 1799, he staged a coup d'état and installed himself as First Consul; five years later the French Senate proclaimed him emperor. In the first decade of the 19th century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts—the Napoleonic Wars—involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe, and Napoleon maintained the French sphere of influence through the formation of extensive alliances and the appointment of friends and family members to rule other European countries as French client states.

The French invasion of Russia in 1812 marked a turning point in Napoleon's fortunes. His Grande Armée was badly damaged in the campaign and never fully recovered. In 1813, the Sixth Coalition defeated his forces at Leipzig; the following year the Coalition invaded France, forced Napoleon to abdicate and exiled him to the island of Elba. Less than a year later, he escaped Elba and returned to power, but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon spent the last six years of his life in confinement by the British on the island of Saint Helena. An autopsy concluded he died of stomach cancer, though Sten Forshufvud and other scientists have since conjectured he was poisoned with arsenic.

Napoleon's campaigns are studied at military academies throughout much of the world. While considered a tyrant by his opponents, he is also remembered for the establishment of the Napoleonic code, which laid the administrative and judicial foundations for much of Western Europe.

Sometimes 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 artist's sculpture.In industrial uses, the modern process is called investment casting. An ancient practice, the process today varies from foundry to foundry, but the steps which are usually used in casting small bronze sculptures in a modern bronze foundry are generally quite standardised.

Lost Wax Method

sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue or the Latin, ce