Ferdinand Barbedienne, 1810-1892, After Michelangelo Buonarotti 1475-1564. A pair of bronze sculptures of Day and Night, French School 19th century

light brown patina, finely cast and chiselled, each signed F. BARBEDIENNE. FONDEUR

The original sculptures in marble were made by Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475-1564) for the tomb of Guiliano de Medici in the S. Lorenzo in Florerence. He worked for ten years to finish the monumental piece, from 1524 to 1534 and besides the figures of Day and Night he sculpted a large sculpture of Giuliano in armour.