Antique French Bronze Statue of Muse \"Calliope\", Signed Cyp. Venot, ca. 1850 For Sale

AntiqueOriginal French Bronze Statue of \"Calliope,\" the Greek Muse of Poetry,Signed Cyp. Venot, Circa 1850

Thisoriginal French Neoclassical tabletop bronze sculpture is very finelycast with exceptional details and is in excellent as-found condition.The beautiful young woman in flowing robes, recumbent on a Classical hoof-footedbench, and deep in thought, is poised to write on a scroll with the quill pen in her righthand. The sculpture is executed in the manner of the ancientsculptures of Greece and Rome in the Neoclassical style so popular inEurope and North America in the first half of the 1800\'s.

Thiselegant French bronze depicts the Greek mythological museof poetry, Calliope. The ancient Greek word, kalliope, meant\"beautifully-voiced\" and as a mythological character shewas the eldest and chief of the nine Muses. Her domain was eloquence,poetry, science, and song. The bronze is signed on the back of thebench, Cyp. Venot, for Cyprien Francois Venot (1808-1886), a notedParisian sculptor who exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1833-50. Thisexample of his work has no damage, an undisturbed original patina,and retains the original quill pen in bronze which seems to have beenlost or replaced in other examples of this particular sculpture.There are three threaded holes on the base of this piece, indicatingit was originally mounted on a base, probably marble.

Dimensions: 11-1/8\" long, 9-3/8\" tall, 4-3/4\" deep

Condition: Excellent. No cracks, dents, corrosion or repairs. It retains theoriginal bronze quill pen and its original undisturbed patina. Thereare three threaded holes on the base, indicating it was originallymounted most probably on marble. There is minor wearoverall expected from age and use (see photos)