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

Pair of silvered bronzes from the 19th century represents two of the greatest figures in military history and Poland's 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 in the United States (for his key role in the American War of Independence). As the leader of the 1794 insurrection against Russia, he is often depicted in an officer's uniform or with the traditional Polish peasant costume (sukmana), 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 has entered legend by dying heroically during the retreat after the Battle of Leipzig in 1713, drowned in the Elster. He is generally represented in a Polish uhlan lancer's uniform or as a cavalry general.

General Tadeusz Kościuszko: He is depicted in his characteristic attire of the insurrection of 1794. His right hand rests proudly on the guard of his saber. Beside him, placed on a fluted column, is his traditional Kraków hat (Rogatywka / Phrygian bonnet), a symbol of the peasant peasants' rally to his cause.

Prince Joseph-Antoine Poniatowski: Recognizable by his noble bearing, his uniform of the Duchy of Warsaw showing the stars of military orders (including the Virtuti Militari and the Legion of Honour). His right hand rests on the top of a czapska of the uhlans (Polish shako with square top), adorned with a plumes and a radiant sun. In the other hand, he holds his saber with the edge oriented toward the ground.

Structure and assembly: The rear views and the underside of the terrace (the base) confirm the 19th-century manufacturing method. The figures and their columns are cast separately and then firmly assembled to the oval bronze base by a system of threaded rods and square iron nuts of the period (showing normal natural oxidation).

The columns: They imitate ebony or black marble, probably made of blackened wood or regule/black-lacquered bronze, adorned with knurled rings in silvered bronze at their base.

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