Sculpture, Jeanne d'Arc en Jeanne Hachette - 15.5 cm - Gilt bronze

Pendant pair of French fire-gilded bronze sculptures – Jeanne d'Arc & Jeanne Hachette – Troubadour style – France, ca. 1860–1880

Description:
An exceptionally beautiful and complete pair of 19th-century French cabinet sculptures (mignonettes) in rich fire-gilded bronze, mounted on white marble pedestals.

This pendant pair depicts two of the most celebrated national heroines from French medieval history, executed in the beloved romantic Historism / Troubadour style:

Jeanne d’Arc (the Maid of Orléans): Made after the famous model by Princess Marie d’Orléans (1813–1839). Shown in full armor with a gathered skirt, the head bowed in devout contemplation and the hands folded over her sword. Beside her rests her visor helmet on a post.

Jeanne Hachette (Jeanne Laisné): The historical counterpoint and heroine of the Siege of Beauvais (1472). Depicted in armor with loose hair, watchful, standing at the battlements of a fortress wall with her battle-axe ready.

Quality and details
The sculptures are distinguished by an unusually high finish for this refined size:
- Chasing: Extremely sharp and finely chased, with particular attention to the mail (chain mail), the rosette ornaments on the elbow plates, the texture of the masonry, and the expressive facial features.
- Gilding: Original fire-gilding with the classic contrast between matte parts and agate-polished accents on the armor rims and folds.
- Mounting: Original 19th-century atelier-mounting on white marble with hand-cut brass securing plates. The underside of the marble shows authentic, hand-beveled atelier and assay marks ("B" and "1"), confirming that this pair originally left the workshop as a pendant set.

Specifications:
Origin: France
Period: Ca. 1860–1880 (Second Empire / Third Republic)
Material: Fire-gilded bronze on white marble
Bronze height: ca. 11 cm
Total height (including marble): ca. 15.5 cm
Pedestal dimensions: ca. 4.5 × 4.5 cm
Condition:
In excellent, original condition. The fire-gilding is particularly well preserved with only minimal, age-appropriate signs and retention of the original luster. The marble is intact with no notable damage.