French Patinated Bronze Figure Allegory of Republican Freedom - Liberty Marianne By Pierre Jean David Of Angers - Antique circa 1850 15 cm high

An antique French patinated bronze figurine modelled as an allegory of Liberty - Marianne by Pierre Jean David of Angers, (1788- 1856) this one mid 19th century circa 1850.

David d'Angers, who was a fervant Republican, represents Liberty in the guise of a young woman wearing a Phyrigian cap and short tunic standing looking defiantly whilst holding a Charleville 1777 rifle, as used by the French infantry from 1776 until the 1840s. In her right hand she holds a laurel wreath representative of  the victory of the people in struggle, additionally she has a parchment scroll with the dates 1830 and 1848 significant  for the Republicans. The first being the revolutionary days of July 27, 28, 29, in 1830, which overthrew Charles X and put an end to the Restoration. The second 1848 when David was elected, to the town hall of the 11th arrondissement of Paris, and deputy of Maine-et-Loire to the constituent, but Napoleon's coup d'etat III in 1852 sent him to exile for a year.

The sculpture is full of symbolism for the advancement of the rights of the People and of Liberty. Her left foot stands on the yoke and the chains of servitude, broken by the revolution. Marked on the front of the  base with a line from the Marseillaise ; "Liberté liberté Chérie combats avec tes Défenseurs"  which translates as "Liberty, darling freedom, fight with your defenders". The base of the sculpture is also signed on the right hand face : PJ DAVID.

Born in Angers on March 12, 1788 into a modest family, he was only 5 years old when his father took him with him into the ranks of the Republican army in which he enlisted as a volunteer. Marked for life by the republican ideal, he was himself a fervent republican who did not hesitate to get involved in politics. He actively participated, on the barricades, in the Trois Glorieuses of July 1830.

He won Second Prix de Rome in 1810, and first Prize the following year, he spent a year in Rome and then moved to London where the reception given to him by the English did not live up to his expectations. He therefore moved to Paris where he won a huge success at the Salon of 1817. The orders keep coming. From 1830 to 1837, he executed the decoration of the pediment of the Sainte-Geneviève church, converted into a Pantheon. He also works on the Arc de Triomphe in Marseille, and many other monuments.

He excels in the portrait, as well in bust as in medallion. In line with his political ideas, he likes to carve the image of “great men” whom he considers to be benefactors of humanity. His monumental sculptures associate the portrait of a politician, a scientist, a man of letters, with historiated bas-reliefs decorating the base putting in images the life of the great man and his achievements.

In September 1855, struck down by a stroke, he had to give up his activities. Other attacks follow one another and he takes his last breath on January 4, 1856 in Paris.

The work of David d'Angers is considerable: 68 statues and statuettes, some 50 bas-reliefs, nearly 100 busts, and more than five hundred medallions.

This is a reduced scale version of the original that is in the Paris Louvre Museum, and a plaster version is in the Carnavalet Museum in Paris. This one standing 5 1/2 inches (14 cm) high on a base 1 3/4 inches (4.4cm) square, it weighs 460 grammes unpacked. 

In very good antique condition with just a little wear to the patina commensurate with age and use.