Pair of French 19th Century Lifesize Cast-Iron Sculpture Torcheres, Val d’Osne

Overall hHeight: 127 inches (322.6 cm)
Pedestal height: 39 inches (99.1 cm)
Indian man’s width: 22 inches (55.9 cm)
Indian man’s depth: 26 3/4 inches (68 cm)
Indian woman’s width: 28 inches (71.1 cm)
Indian woman’s depth: 25 inches (63.5 cm)

These fantastic and impressive pair of cast-iron sculptures, most likely representing Hiawatha and Minnehaha, were probably comissioned to Le Fonderies d’Art du Val d’Osne for export to the America’s to decorate governmental buildings and parks which makes these pair a rare find and now available for a private collection. Iron sculptures were preferred over bronze for outdoor park and building decorations for their long lasting resistance to all types of weather conditions.

An identical pair of sculptures, also by Val d’ Osne, are currently exhibited at the National Garden of Congress in Santiago, Chile. View Pages No. 87, 88, 89.

Another identical pair are also currently exhibited at The Musée de la Ville – Indian Museum “O Indio do Museo da Cidade” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Another identical pair decorate the front of the Ópera Teatro Amazonas, Manaús, Brazil.

A single figure of the female Indian is on display at The Teatro Alberto Maranhão in Natal, Brazil.

A single figure of the male Indian, probaly the matching pair to the one at the Teatro Alberto Maranhão in Natal, is on display at “L’Indien Parc National de Tijuca” – O indio do Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Fonderies d’Art du Val d’Osne

Established in 1835 by J.P.V. André, the Fonderies d’Art du Val d’Osne was known for their high quality and extensive collection of cast-iron architectural designed sculptures created exclusively for Victor André by some of the most reputed and established Parisian sculptors like Carrier-Belleuse, Mathurin Moreau, Delaplanche and Pradier. The prolific firm Fonderies d’Art du Val d’Osne participated in numerous international exhibitions and was acclaimed at the 1857 London Exhibition with a monumental bronze fountain cast with swans and Classical figures. The firm was acquired by Barbezat & Cie. in 1867, and allying with the fondeur J.J. Ducel towards 1870, and was renamed Société Anonyme des Hauts-Fourneaux & Fonderies du Val-D’Osne, Anciennes maison J.P.V. André et J.J. Ducel et Fils. The most celebrated work or art cast by the firm would be irrefutably the Parisian subway entrances designed by Hector Guimard. The firm was also known for their comissions by governments to manufacture sculptures and fountains for display at public parks and buildings in major cities around the world.

Literature:

Société Anonyme des Hauts-Fourneaux & Fonderies du Val-D’Osne catalogue.

Jean Jules Salmson (French, 1823-1902)

Salmson exhibited regularly at the Salon from 1859, and worked on various monuments in Paris including those at L’Opera, les Tuileries, and le tribunal de Commerce. As well as being known, according to H. Berman, Bronzes Sculptors & Founders, Abage Encyclopedia, Chicago, 1980, for his Orientalist subject matter and for his statues of great historical figures such as Shakespeare, Rubens, Hamlet and Byron.

The top three auction records of cast iron sculptures by the Fonderies d’Art du Val d’Osne in Paris are as follows:

A rare Val d’Osne Foundry Cast-Iron Group of Diana and Endymion, French third quarter of the 19th century was sold at Sotheby’s Amsterdam on 18 May 2005 Sale of Garden Statuary, The Piet Jonker Collection, Lot 317, for 404,000 EUR ($513,080 USD).

An important set of four monumental French cast-iron vases, cast by Val d’Osne, from models by Pierre-Louis Rouillard, Last Quarter 19th Century were sold at Christie’s New York on 11 April 2007 19th Century Furniture, Sculpture, Works of Art and Ceramics, Sale 1818, Lot 18, for $288,000 USD.

A rare and good Val d’Osne Foundry cast iron group of ‘Foolish Love’ French, third quarter 19th century was sold at Sotheby’s Amsterdam on 30 May 2007 Sale of Garden Sculpture, The Piet Jonker Collection, Lot 304, for 276,000 EUR ($365,434 USD).

Note: Additional high-definition images available upon request. Please note that these sculptures are quite heavy and will require professional installation and equipment.

Ref.: A1934