Adrien Gaudez (1845-1902) - Bronze sculpture - The Victor - 19th-century casting

Adrien Etienne Gaudez (1845-1902) Bronze sculpture. The Victor. Casting from the 19th century, around 1890. The statue represents a young athlete from antiquity, nude and muscular, captured in the midst of a victorious run. He triumphantly raises his right arm while holding a laurel branch, an absolute symbol of triumph. On his left arm, he carries his protective shield adorned with a branch. Signed on the terrace and plaque marked Hors Concours. Height: 40cm. Very good condition. 1. An excellent academic training. Coming from a modest background, Gaudez entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1862. There, he became a student of the great academic sculptor François Jouffroy. By 1864, at the age of 19, he began exhibiting at the official Salon in Paris, thus launching a promising career. 2. The shock of war and the monument of Magdebourg. In 1870, his career was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War. Enlisted, he was captured and interned at the camp in Magdebourg, Germany. Despite his captivity, he continued to sculpt and achieved a feat: designing a cast iron monument in memory of the French soldiers who died in captivity, which was erected in the cemetery of the German city. 3. The triumph of edition bronzes and the Legion of Honor. Back in France, Gaudez continued to achieve success at the Salon and the Universal Exhibitions (notably winning a gold medal at the 1889 exhibition). He received significant public commissions from the State, such as the famous Monument to Antoine Parmentier (located in Neuilly-sur-Seine) or the statue of Jean-Rodolphe Perronet. However, it was through his edition bronzes that his fame became international. Working with the most prestigious Parisian foundries, he produced numerous statuettes. His repertoire favored: Mythological and allegorical subjects glorifying strength, youth, and victory. Historical and literary figures (Child Mozart, Joan of Arc).