Pierre Jules Mène

Pierre Kjellberg, Bronzes of the 19th Century, Atglen, PA, 1994, p. 477, for the model
Stéphane Richemond, Les Orientalistes:  Dictionnaire des Sculpteurs, XIX^e-XX^e Siècles, Paris, 2008, pp. 153 and 155 for the model

Overall in good condition. Tarnishing to silvering. The falcon shows traces of resoldering.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The son of a metal turner, Pierre Jules Mène learned to cast and chase bronze from his father, and later adapted his skills to a career producing models for the porcelain industry.  He would later open his own foundry with his son-in-law Auguste-Nicolas Cain.  Mène also studied with the sculptor René Compaire, and earned a reputation as the best animalier sculptor of the nineteenth century after Antoine Barye.  The present lot represents the shift in the mid nineteenth century that many animaliers made towards Orientalism, even as they continued to work with animal subjects.