Lot 55: Arthur-Marie-Gabriel, Comte du Passage French, 1838-1909 , A trotting horse and groom

signed: C du Passage bronze, rich dark brown patina

measurements note 78 by 111.5cm., 30 3/4 by 43 7/8 in.

Arthur-Marie-Gabriel, Comte du Passage developed a fascination for horses at an early age and went on to make them the central theme of his oeuvre. He initially pursued a military career in accordance with his family?s wishes, but took time out of his duties to study sculpture with two of the foremost animalier sculptors of his day ? Antoine-Louis Barye and Pierre-Jules Mêne. Du Passage belonged to a group of 19υth Century aristocratic sculptors who turned their own hand to the medium they so admired. Another such was Geoffrey, Comte de Ruille who also concentrated on animal subjects.

In 1865 du Passage exhibited for the first time at the Salon with a wax model of a dying Roe-deer and left the army a short while later having achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was involved in an accident at this time, which left him partially paralysed and confined to a wheelchair. Fortunately he was able to continue with sculpture and spent most of his days drawing and modelling in the stables of his family home ? Château de Bernaville, at Frohen.

Cheval à l?entraînement avec son lad was modelled in 1873. It became one of du Passage?s most enduring works reflecting both his mastery of sculpture and his thorough understanding of his subjects. Its popularity resulted in the model being edited in three sizes, of which this is the largest. Du Passage?s bronzes are rarely marked by foundry stamps, but the quality of the casts is consistently high suggesting that the sculptor oversaw their finishing.

RELATED LITERATURE
Kjellberg, pp. 530-531; Horswell, p. 274; Payne, pp. 415-416; Lami vol. III, p. 49