Sculpture, PAIRE DE STATUETTE TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO ET JOSEPH ANTOINE PONIATOWSKI - 32 cm - Silverplated

Pair of nineteenth-century silvered bronze figures depicting two of the greatest figures in military history and Polish independence: General Tadeusz Kościuszko (1746-1817) and Prince Joseph-Antoine Poniatowski (1763-1813).

Historical characteristics of the pair:

Tadeusz Kościuszko: National hero in Poland and the United States (for his major role in the American War of Independence). As the leader of the 1794 uprising against Russia, he is often depicted in officer uniform or with the traditional Polish peasant dress (sukman a), sometimes wearing the Kraków bonnet.

Joseph-Antoine Poniatowski: Nephew of the last King of Poland, Minister of War of the Duchy of Warsaw, he was the only foreign general named Marshal of the Empire by Napoleon I. He entered legend by dying heroically during the retreat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, drowned in the Elster. He is generally portrayed in a Polish uhlan lancer or cavalry general uniform.

General Tadeusz Kościuszko: He is depicted in his characteristic attire of the 1794 insurrection officer. His right hand rests proudly on the guard of his sabre. Beside him, placed on a fluted column, is his traditional Kraków bonnet (Rogatywka / Phrygian cap), symbolizing the rallying of Polish peasants to his cause.

Prince Joseph-Antoine Poniatowski: Recognizable by his noble bearing, in the Duchy of Warsaw General’s costume adorned with the stars of military orders (including the Virtuti Militari and the Legion of Honor). His right hand rests on the top of a czapska uhlans (Polish square-topped shako) adorned with a plume and a radiant sun. In the other hand, he holds his sabre, clear and oriented toward the ground.

Structure and assembly: The rear views and the underside of the terrace (the base) confirm the manufacturing method of the nineteenth century. The figures and their columns are cast separately and then solidly assembled to the oval bronze base by a system of threaded rods and square iron nuts (with normal natural oxidation).

The columns: They imitate ebony or black marble, probably made in blackened wood or regule/black-lacquered bronze, embellished with beaded rings in antique-silver bronze at their bases.

Quality: The chasing is of very high precision, notably in the details of the faces, the curly hair of the two heroes, and the braids of the uniforms (epaulettes with bullion).