A fine bronze figure of a stallion calling a mare, by Pierre-Jules Mêne, originally modelled in 1848 and exhibited in bronze at the 1849 Salon in Paris. Numbered 43 in the sculptor''s catalogue, it was known as ''Cheval à la Barrière'', and is of a horse named ''Djinn''. The horse is standing beside a rustic fence and stands on a naturalistic base. The bronze has a rich brown patina and is inscribed ''P.J. MÊNE'' to the base. Mêne was one of the most successful and prolific animalier sculptors of his day. He was born in Paris in 1810 in Rue de Faubourg St. Antione. His father, Doninique, was a skilled metal turner who taught his son not only the basics of metal foundry and the work of a ''ciseler'', but also the principles of sculpture. He developed his natural talents as an animal sculptor under sculptor René Compaire making detailed sketches of the animals in the zoo at the Jadin des Plantes which he used as his models. He cast his own sculptures and quickly made a ...