Prosper D' Epinay Mauritanian, 1836-1914

There are traces of red paint in the hair. There is some surface dirt. There are some minor scratches and some wear to the patina consistent with age, otherwise the condition is very good.
"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."

Prosper d'Epinay's bronze shows a small boy and a majestic eagle locked in fantastical, violent combat. Hannibal and the Eagle was an allegorical subject, representing the struggle between the ancient Carthaginian empire and its powerful, expanding enemy, Rome. However, the artist based his vision of the subject on a very current source. The group was created in 1867, just five years after the publication of Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô. Salammbô was written shortly after Flaubert's master-piece Madame Bovary and, like its predecessor, was a huge success. Dealing with sensational Oriental scenes, Salammbô immediately became a literary inspiration to painters and sculptors. It tells the story of Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian general, and his daughter, Salammbô. Hamilcar also has a young son, Hannibal, and d'Epinay based his sculpture on a passage in chapter VII describing the child's brutal prowess:

Would you believe it, that last moon he surprised an eagle; he dragged it away, and the bird's blood and the child's were scattered in the air in large drops like driven roses. The animal in its fury enwrapped him in the beating of its wings; he strained it against his breast, and as it died his laughter increased, piercing and proud like the clashing of swords.

D'Epinay's Hannibal staggers back but keeps his grip on the eagle, with his left hand clasping through the feathers and his right hand crushing its throat. The details are skillfully observed giving movement to the combat, with Hannibal's Oriental locks swinging before his ears and the great sweep of the eagles massive wings. The group was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1869 and, in an occurrence unheard of since the foundation of the Academy, the jury stopped before it to applaud.

RELATED LITERATURE
Roux-Foujols, pp. 30-31; Graves, vol. 11, p. 307