Emmanuel Frémiet

Catherine Chevillot, Emmanuel Fremiet, 1824-1910: la Main et le Multiple, exh. cat., Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, November 5, 1988-January 26, 1989; Musée de Grenoble, February 23-April 30, 1989, p. 127

Overall in good original condition.
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.

Emmanuel Fremiet trained at the Ecole Gratuité de Dessin in the early 1840s and apprenticed in the studio of François Rude, his uncle.  He also worked in the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle on a publication on comparative anatomy.  He was eventually recognized as France's foremost animalier when he was named professor of zoological drawing at the Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris in 1875, succeeding Antoine-Louis Barye.

The present model is one of best known portrayals of Joan of Arc, now found in the Place des Pyramides.  First cast in 1874 and modified several times up until 1889, it quickly became a symbol of national pride following the Franco-Prussian war.  The original plaster model is in the permanent collection of the Musée d'Orsay.