Rare Antique Bas Relief Sculpture Roundel Plaque in Heavy Bronze Frame, CLODION (1738-1814)

A bronze roundel of Sacrifices to Cupid and the Alter of Love”, late 18th century, from the circle of Claude Michel, called Clodion (1738-1814). Mine housed in a very heavy bronze frame. 

“The subject for the present roundels was particularly favored by Clodion and his contemporaries due the latter part of the 18th century, see the exhibition catalogue, Clodion, 1738-1814, Paris 1992, pp 157-161” (from page 75 of the Sotheby’s auction catalogue I’d found. 

Well, this one was a surprise! Purchased about 30 years ago just because I loved the exquisite fine bas relief of the plaque, I happened upon the casting and attribution quite by chance in an auction catalogue years later. A gilded casting shown, apparently there was a 2nd roundel in the pair referenced, and apparently the pair were expected to bring “8,000-12,000 GBP”. I clicked a photo of mine alongside it’s richer relatives, but it was long ago before digital cameras and the image isn’t the greatest. Yet you can see it is definitely the Clodion bronze. I’m not surprised, truly. The work is museum-worthy and just stunningly fine detail. I’ve housed it in the very heavy cast bronze frame you see with it. There are notations on a very very old paper backing and I’ve shown those as well, which give some bit of provenance. I found it in a little market in London, as I remember. 

Clodion, is on collection at the Louvre, Paris’  the Frick, NYC; Art Institute of Chicago, . . well, every major museum. You might find bronze Cupid set into candelabrum. I see a set (likely copies) at $16,000 just now. And a ‘apres’ casting pair that includes a rather bad (and mirror-reversed) casting of this very art work offered in UK. This single one is Clodion, period, spectacular! OUR OFFERING IS THE SINGLE BRONZE in frame. The gilt pair are shown only for reference. 

Very good to excellent condition for age and type. The bronze patina is beautifully preserved. One photo shows super-fine dust which always catches the photo lights on my workbench, sorry. It is not even dusty, and as you can see, a stunning sculpture, the exact casting as the referenced Clodion plaque shown with the catalogued pair. I don’t really know how to price it. It’s not worth that to me (figure forward dating) and perhaps I need to send this and some other things to Sotheby’s or Christies’, but this is for you. Our market. The period very heavily cast and sculpted bronze frame is not permanently attached. I’ve always displayed it lying in a display table vitrine. It would be quite simple to attach them, however. Will leave the decision to you.