BRONZE SCULPTURE "YOUTH PULLING ROSES" AFTER AIME MILLET (1819-1891)

A bronze sculpture with a brown patina after Aimé Millet's "Youth Plucking Roses." It depicts a young woman draped in classical style, holding flowers in one hand and raising the other in a gesture of sowing. She wears a gilt bronze bracelet on her right arm. Signed "Aimé Millet" in relief on the base. Foundry mark "AB Paris." An early cast from the Napoleon III period. Condition Report: In very good condition, with slight wear to the patina on the base. Documentation: The stone statue of "Youth Plucking Roses" was created in 1862 for the tomb of Henri Murger (1822-1861), author of "Scenes of Bohemian Life," in Montmartre Cemetery. The model is believed to have been one of the characters in this novel, Musette. The half-size bronze model of this statue was exhibited at the Salon of 1863, and the original model was given to the Amiens Museum in 1891. Aimé Millet (1819-1891) was a French sculptor active in the second half of the 19th century. The son of miniaturist Frédéric Millet, he began his career in the studio of Viollet-le-Duc and attended the École des Arts Décoratifs before entering the École des Beaux-Arts in 1836. He studied under David d'Angers. Aimé Millet exhibited "Young Shepherd Mourning His Kid" at the Salon of 1840. He received several commissions for the Louvre: "Louvois," "Vigilance," "Mercury," and "Amazon." He also worked for the churches of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, and Saint-Augustin. He exhibited regularly at the Salon and achieved success on several occasions with "Ariane" (1857), "Youth Plucking Roses" (1862), and "Cassandra" (1877). He created the monumental statue of Apollo installed on the roof of the Paris Opera, as well as sculptures of the Seine and Marne rivers framing the clock at the Paris City Hall. He produced numerous funerary works for Murger, Vernhet de Laumière, Bouteville, Jules Noriac, Marie Edmond Valentin, Amélie de Montpensier (Seville), and Don José Rocafuerte (Ecuador). In Paris, two monumental works can also be seen: "Phidias" in the Luxembourg Gardens and "South America" ​​on the forecourt of the Musée d'Orsay. He won a First Class Medal at the Salon of 1857, another First Class Medal at the Universal Exhibitions of 1867 and 1878, and a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1889. Millet was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1859 and promoted to officer in 1870. He was appointed professor at the School of Decorative Arts in 1870. 19th century, Circa: 1870. Dimensions: W: 11cm, D: 18cm, H: 44cm.