Sculpture "After the Battle"

After the battle

After the Battle

Henry Etienne Dumaige (1830-1888). (Анрі Етьєн Дюмаж) is a renowned French sculptor, considered an excellent master of interior and decorative sculpture in marble, terracotta, and bronze, executed in the academic spirit of the Second Empire style of the Napoleonic era. He was a student of Jean Faucher and Christophe Dumont. Dumaige's creative legacy includes numerous statues, busts, genre scenes, and military themes. The artist influenced the development of European interior and cabinet bronze sculpture in the second half of the 19th century. He exhibited at the Salons of French artists from 1863 to 1886, including "Golden Age," a plaster group at the 1863 Salon, and "Homeland," a bronze group at the 1886 Salon. Dumaige was awarded a silver medal in 1880. Many of the sculptor's works, as models from these exhibitions, were sent to various Parisian bronze foundries and cast for private commissions. Particularly popular were large interior, and in some cases more intimate in size, works in patinated bronze, such as statuettes of various dancers "Salome," "Esmeralda" (the heroine of V. Hugo's novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame"), and two paired interior sculptures "After the Battle. Grenadier and Drummer of 1792." He also worked for other clients. Among other things, he made statues for the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, and then a marble sculpture of Rabelais for the city of Tours, and many others. His works are preserved in the collections of French museums.

The sculpture "After the Battle" by Henri Etienne Dumaige is a striking example of European plastic art from the second half of the 19th century, combining historical themes and emotional depth. The author used the image of a soldier in late 18th-century attire as the subject for the work – the time of the French Revolution, the uprising against King Louis XVI, and the fall of the monarchy in 1792. The composition depicts a drummer-soldier whose figure is filled with internal tension and, at the same time, restrained dignity after the events experienced. Masterfully crafted details of clothing, plastic movement, and the expressive silhouette emphasize the dynamism and drama of the scene. The patinated bronze surface gives the work a noble sound and enhances the sense of time. The author's signature, H. Dumaige, is on the pedestal.

The work stands out for its high level of execution, artistic integrity, and historical and cultural value, making it a significant collectible item.

The sculpture is a valuable artistic object that has museum and collection value.

Size: height 69.5 cm, base 16.5x21.5 cm.