F. Barbedienne ‘The Solider of Marathon’ Bronze After J. P. Cortot

An excellent large late 19th century antique bronze of ‘Le Soldat De Marathon Annoncant La Victoire’, also known as ‘The Soldier of Marathon Announcing the Victory’, cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne after a model by French sculptor, Jean-Pierre Cortot (1787-1843).

The Barbedienne foundry produced this model in four editions. This bronze is an example of the second largest. Inscribed ‘Cortot 1834’, it is signed ‘F. Barbedienne Fondeur’ and impressed with the official stamp of the Collas et Barbedienne foundry reading: ‘Reduction Mecanique, A. Collas Brevete’.

With its attractive patina and impressive scale, this bronze is a beautiful sculpture for any interior seeking artworks that are particularly exceptional.

The Soldier of Marathon

Inspiration for this bronze is rooted in ancient Greek mythology. It tells the story of the solider Pheidippides who, following the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, ran 40km from Marathon to Athens to deliver the triumphant news before collapsing from exhaustion. The story inspires the modern-day marathon run.

In this bronze, a nude Pheidippides is captured as he collapses, his arm raised defiantly with the palm of victory in his hand.

Jean-Pierre Cortot

Jean-Pierre Cortot was born in Paris in 1787. He studied at the Parisian Ecole des Beaux Arts before winning a scholarship to train in Rome from 1810-1813. Here he developed and refined his sculpting skill, creating several famous works.

Following his return from Rome, Cortot continued to create a range of sculptures including ‘The Solider of Marathon’ on which this scale bronze is based. He first presented it as a plaster depiction at the Paris Salon in 1822 before the newly crowned King Louis Philipee I commissioned a marble version. This was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1834 and today resides in the Louvre Museum.

Such was its beauty and splendour that the F. Barbedienne foundry produced a limited-edition run of scale reproduction bronzes in the late 19th century to be collected by travellers exploring France and Europe.

Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892)

Ferdinand Barbedienne was an accomplished French bronze founder of the 19th century. In 1839, he partnered with Parisian engineer Achille Collas (1795-1859) who had invented a way to reproduce sculpture on a reduced scale in a process he titled ‘reduction mechanique’. Together, Barbedienne and Collas produced reduced scale versions of various famous statues and sculptures.