Bronze allegorical sculpture by Emile Louis Picault (1833-1915). France, circa 1880. Signed on the plinth ‘E. PICAULT.’ On the front of the plinth a plaque inscribed with the title ‘LE DEVOIR / Par E. Picault’ This allegorical sculpture shows a Roman soldier with helmet and lionskin. He holds a sword. At his feet a shield with tekst ‘HONOR PATRIA’. The figure is signed on the plinth ‘E. PICAULT.’ The sculpture has a good brown patina. Condition: good, wear consistent with age. Height: 46 cm. Weight: 6 kg Restoration: see nail on left shoulder of figure. Provenance: Sotheby's in the 1980's About Émile Picault He was a pupil of the painter Henri Royer. Between 1863 and 1914 he exhibited at the Salon in Paris. His bronze sculptures earned him major success. His oeuvre is characterized by allegorical or patriotic themes and figures of warriors and mythological heroes. In addition, he has also created busts of historical or literary figures, such as Joan of Arc, Voltaire or even Macbeth. Provenance: Sotheby’s Amsterdam, AM00499, lot 0800 Info and picture: Harold Berman, Bronzes, Sculptors en Founders 1800-1930, Vol II, Chicago, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Sec Ed 1994, p. 314 About the photo: On the last photo you see the bottom of the sculpture. There seems to be a crack. That is not the case. On the contrary what you see is a so-called casting seam. This arises because the casting mold into which the liquid bronze is poured, consists of several parts, which are clamped against each other. This is never one hundred percent closed. In the resulting seam, therefore, a bit of bronze inevitably runs. The transport and insurance costs (Ned. € 25,00 Whithin EU: € 45,00 Outside EU € 150,00)