Paire de chiens de chasse (Pair of hunting dogs) Henri Alfred Marie Jacquemart (French, 1824-1896)

Paire de chiens de chasse (Pair of hunting dogs) Henri Alfred Marie Jacquemart (French, 1824-1896)

First Quarter 20^th Century, each signed ‘A.J’

Cast iron 94 cm high and 93 cm high.

Henri-Alfred-Marie Jacquemart was formally trained at L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and became frequent a participant in the Paris Salons from 1847 through 1879. Primarily an exhibitor of animal studies and groups, the artist was awarded honours at the 1857 and 1865 Salons and the Chevalier de la Légion d’ honneur in 1870.

The castings retain their original patination which is extremely rare. These models are illustrated in the Val d’Osne Catalogue (No 2, pl. 631, 1864). Another pair are displayed in the gardens at Montier-en-Der, Haute-Marne.  A pair of hounds of the same model was sold Christie’s, London, 9 June 2011, lot 327. Literature 1867 Paris Exhibition Catalogue. L’age de la fonte: Un art, une industrie, 1800-1914 by Jean Claude Renard.

Plasterwork of the Alhambra, workshop of Diego Fernández de Castro (1847-1920), late 19th century 44 x 35 cm

Technique: Polychrome and gilt gesso, wood

 Despite the fact that Spain was not considered a Grand Tour destination, from the XIXth century the increasing interest for Orientalism placed the country inside the circuit of European travellers, attracted by the Islamic art they could discover in the South of Spain. The Alhambra of Granada became during the XIXth century the romantic destination par excellence, who’s glorious past every European adventurer and intellectual wished to discover. Consequently, an important handcrafted industry of  the best Nasrid art souvenirs developed outside the monument, the scale models of the Alhambra being the best luxurious acquisitions to be made by foreigners visiting Granada. Amongst the most important workshops, the one founded by Diego Fernández Castro was renowned for the accuracy of details and the richness of the polychromy.

Reference Bibliography: “Las maquetas de la Alhambra en el siglo XIX: Una fuente de difusión y de información acerca del conjunto Nazarí.” Asunción González Pérez Tesis doctoral codirigida por las Dras. Concepción Abad Castro y Mariam Rosser-Owen.(Departamento de Historia y Teoría del Arte.Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.Marzo 2017).