Etalon by Isidore Bonheur
Etalon by Isidore Bonheur
Isidore Jules Bonheur (Bordeaux 15 May 1827 – 10 November 1901 Paris), best known as one of the 19th century’s most distinguished French animalier sculptors. Bonheur began his career as an artist working with his elder sister Rosa Bonheur in the studio of their father, drawing instructor Raymond Bonheur. Initially working as a painter, Isidore Jules Bonheur made his Salon debut in 1848.
DIMENSIONS: (unframed) 32.0 x 38.0 x 9.0 cm/12.6 x 15.0 x 3.5 ins
SIGNATURE: Signed on the base
MEDIUM: Bronze with brown patina
Price: £POA.
Isidore Bonheur’s bronzes range from domestic cattle and sheep, which he excelled at, to wild bears and lions as well as equestrian and hunting groups, all done in a very natural and realistic manner. Many of his bronzes were done as compliments to his sisters’ works. These sheep and cattle models by brother and sister were done as pairs. Almost all of his and his sisters’ casts were produced by Hippolyte Peyrol whose extremely small (less than 1/6?) foundry mark if often very difficult to locate.
Provenance: Private collection, France
Biography:
Following this he moved to Florence for a long period of time and was one of the favourite sculptors of presidents and royalty such as George I of Greece and Maria-Pia of Romania.
Bonheur Taureau – Isidore Bonheur (1827 ~ 1901) was born on May 15th 1827 in Bordeaux, France, and died in Paris in 1901. He was an important Animalier sculptor, the brother of Rosa Bonheur, and brother-in-law to Hippolyte Peyrol the founder. The Bonheurs were a well known family of painters, sculptors and artists. Isidore studied painting under the tutelage of his father at a very early age. He moved on to sculpture in 1848 with his first Salon entry of a plaster study of An African Horseman attacked by a lion. Isidore Bonheur continued exhibiting his sculpture throughout the years, both at the Salon in Paris as well as the Royal Academy in London. He won medals at the Salon in 1865 and 1869, and won the Gold Medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889. Bonheur was awarded the Legion of Honneur in 1895.
Today, in addition to the pieces in museum collections, Boucher’s work can be seen at the Paul Dubois-Alfred Boucher museum at Nogent-sur-Seine.