Large Napoleon III period bronze sculpture by Jules Bertin

Large Napoleon III period bronze sculpture by Jules Bertin
French, 1879
Height 140cm, width 58cm, depth 58cm

This exceptional sculpture is by Jules Bertin, a leading French sculptor during the nineteenth century. The sculpture personifies Paris—or Liberty, in the Republican vein. The context for understanding the work is in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, when France lost her eastern provinces of Alsace and Lorraine to Prussia. In the sculpture, the figure of French Liberty stands triumphantly atop a globe depicting the eastern regions of France, signifying that one day France will regain her lost territories. The work is deftly carved, with Lady Liberty wrought in a classicised style. The sculpture is set atop an octagonal base inscribed ‘Alsace’, ‘R.F’ (for République Française), and ‘Lorraine’. The bronze is signed ‘Jules Bertin / Paris / 1879’ and is set atop a red marble plinth.

Artist/maker: Jules Bertin (French, 1826-1892)