Jean-Claude Chambellan Duplessis (1699-1774) French, Paris, circa 1750 after a model by Nicolas Coustou (1658-1733)

by repute Charles François de Vintimille, Comte du Luc, Provence
his sale, C.F. Julliot and F.C. Joullain, Paris, 22 and 23 December 1777, lot 18

The condition of the bronze is good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The bronze has been cast in sections and there are two casting joints at the tops of both of Adonis' arms and proper left leg. There is a visible plug to Adonis' proper right elbow. The dog has been cast separately. There is some very minor greening to the proper left side of Adonis' chest, his proper left thigh and his back beneath his sash. There is a small restoration to his proper left thigh. There is some dust to the crevices. There is some paint deposit on the muzzle of the dog and Adonis' inner proper right thigh. The patina is slightly worn beneath the proper right thigh of Adonis. There is a small hole in the centre of the trunk, inherent to the casting process.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present bronze is an early reduction of a famous marble, once in the gardens of Marly, carved by Nicolas Coustou in 1710. Bronze versions of Coustou's marble were commissioned to furnish the Parisian apartments of Louis XIV’s courtiers, where the decorative value of a sculpture evoking a golden age of bucolic myth was celebrated.

The present cast is by Jean-Claude Chambellan Duplessis, better known for his porcelain designs for Vincennes and Sèvres. Most of the shapes from the 1750s, and many from the 1760s, are attributed to Duplessis, or bear his name. In 1751, he was commissioned by Louis XV to produce drawings for the first major dinner-service. In 1758, he was designated Orfèvre du Roi.

RELATED LITERATURE
The French Bronze, 1500-1800, exh. cat. Galerie Knoedler & Co., New York, 1968, no. 45; F. Souchal, French Sculptors of the 17th and 18th centuries. The reign of Louis XIV, London, Oxford, 1977, pp. 168-169, no. 52; G. Bresc-Bauthier, Sculptures des jardins du Louvre, Paris, 1986, p. 115; S. Lami, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs de l'école française au XVIIIe siècle, III, 1910.