Impressive Pair of French Gilt-Bronze Marly Horses, third or fourth quarter 19th century, after Guillaume Coustou (French, 1677-1746), h. 29-1/2", w. 10", d. 21". In 1739, Louis XV commissioned Guillaume Coustou the Elder (1677-1746) to sculpt monumental marbles to flank the pond in the garden of Chateau Marly, the hunting lodge built by Louis XIV after his conversion of the previous lodge into the Palace of Versailles. Coustou's sculptures of horse tamers and their horses were installed in 1745. The artist, surprisingly for the time, dismissed the allegorical, mythological or historical and instead chose to work from nature, observing the interaction and movement of actual trainers and horses. The sculptures proved immediately popular, and were considered Coustou's masterpiece. At the height of the Revolution in 1795, at the urging of Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825), the sculptures were moved to Place de la Revolution (now Place de la Concorde) in Paris, thus saved from the fate of the Chateau which was destroyed by revolutionaries. In 1984, the sculptures were moved a third time, to the Louvre, for conservation and protection and copies put in their place.

In generally very good condition. Scattered nicks, areas of abrading, small losses to patination (all losses approx. 1/8"), and areas of darkening/oxidation. Possible old filler repair at proper right side of one self-base in foliage. Horses' reins: one horse has missing nail on one side and replacement nail on the other, and the other horse has replacement nail on one side. Layer of surface soiling in more deeply modeled areas. All consistent with age and material. Golden patina.