BRONZE OF "SAINT MICHAEL SLAYING THE DRAGON" AFTER EMMANUEL FREMIET

A bronze sculpture with a brown patina, "Saint Michael Slaying the Dragon," after the original by Emmanuel Frémiet. It depicts the winged saint raising his sword in the air to strike down the dragon climbing the statue's pedestal. He is clad in armor with chainmail, a domed helmet, and a flowing tunic. In his left hand, he holds a small shield adorned with a spike. His head is haloed. This highly detailed work displays a richness of chiseling. The sculpture rests on a marble base. The original is in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

Emmanuel Frémiet is a renowned 19th-century sculptor, particularly since the installation of his Joan of Arc statue in the Place des Pyramides in Paris in 1874. He established a new form of "historical realism," combining meticulous detail with a genuine archaeological approach, painstakingly depicting iconographic subjects from the Middle Ages. In 1894, he was chosen to create the statue to crown the spire of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. It was his 50cm statuette of Saint Michael, created in 1879 for commercial purposes, that was selected by the architect to be enlarged to a height of 2.20m. His aesthetic approach, combined with his "historical realism," perfectly aligned with Viollet-le-Duc's new vision of historical monuments, which sought architectural reconstructions.

19th century, Circa: 1890

Dimensions: L:33cm, W:20cm, H:63cm.

Dimensions of the base: L: 16 cm; D: 16cm

Condition report: In good overall condition. Signs of wear consistent with age.