Decorative ornament - Vendôme Column - France - Grand Tour

A fineley cire perdue cast and chiseled bronze Grand Tour model of the Vendôme column, measuring circa 27cm in height and weighing 1109g, mounted on a square black hardstone base. Estimated age: Middle of the 19th century (July Monarchy 1830-1848).

A brief history of the column at Place Vendôme:

"The column was designed by Lepère and Gondoin and received many different names – first the ‘Austerlitz Column’, then the ‘Victory Column’ finally becoming the ‘Colonne de la Grande Armée’. Lepère supervised the melting down of the 1200 artillery pieces taken from the Russians and Austrians. The following inscription was engraved on the abacus of the capital: ‘Monument erected to the glory of Napoleon the Great’s Grande Armée, begun on 25 August 1806 and finished 15 August 1810’.
The column comprises a stone core enrobed with 425 bronze plaques fixed to the stone with pins. A 280 metre-long frieze of bas-reliefs, designed from drawings by Bergeret, winds round the column depicting the major events of the campaign – from the camp in Boulogne to the return of the Emperor and his guard in 1806. A team of sculptors (including Boizot, Bosio, Bartolini, Ramey, Rude, Corbet, Clodion and Ruxthiel) was commissioned to execute the frieze.

Forty-two metres tall, the column was crowned with a statue commissioned from Chaudet of The Emperor in Roman dress. The statue was taken down by the Allies in 1814 and replaced during the Restoration by a flag bearing fleurs de lys. Under the July Monarchy this was replaced with a statue by Seurre showing Napoleon as ‘Little Corporal’, a statue today held in the Invalides. During Second Empire, a copy of Chaudet’s initial statue designed by Dumont was hoisted to the top of the column to replace that by Seurre."

Condition: One eagle missing from a corner, otherwise very good, no further significant damages or repairs. Minor wear commensurate with age.

This lot will be carefully packaged and sent by registered and insured mail.