L'Accolade (The Greeting)
Sculpture, pedestal-mounted bronze • Pierre-Jules Mêne (French, 1810–1879), modern foundry cast
Style & Movement
Animalier school (French Naturalism)
Medium & Technique
Bronze with dark brown patination; lost-wax casting technique with hand-chasing of details
Creation Period
Late 20th to early 21st century (modern cast of a 19th-century model)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 21 inches wide (large-scale cabinet bronze), horizontal orientation
Subject Description
A celebrated composition featuring a stallion and a mare in a moment of affection or greeting. The stallion stands with its head arched over the mare's neck, exhibiting highly detailed musculature, manes, and expressive faces on a naturalistic rocky base.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; the patina remains consistent with some slight dust accumulation in recessed areas
Estimated Market Value
1,500 USD - 3,500 USD (for high-quality modern casts; original lifetime casts fetch considerably more)
Auction Estimate
1,000 USD - 2,500 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired from a secondary market gallery or boutique decor merchant; includes a modern identifying brass nameplate on a marble plinth
Art Historical Significance
Mêne was the most successful and prolific animalier of his time; 'L'Accolade' is considered his masterpiece and a quintessential example of the 19th-century fascination with equestrian subjects and naturalistic anatomical accuracy.
Notable Features
Features the signature 'P.J. MENE' within the cast on the base; mounted on a tiered dark marble/stone rotation base with a gold-tone identification plate
Condition Issues
Minor surface abrasions on the lower plinth; potential minor oxidation in crevices of the mane; no structural losses visible
Conservation Recommendations
Regular light dusting with a soft brush; professional waxing with microcrystalline wax (e.g., Renaissance Wax) every few years to maintain patina; avoid chemical cleaners