Rare 19thC Bronze Statue Titled “Mutualite” by Maurice Constant Favre

A rare and beautifully cast late 19thC bronze by Maurice Constant Favre, (1875-1915), titled ” Mutualite”. The statue depicts two bare chested muscular blacksmiths, an older stockier master blacksmith standing, looking down and facing a younger journeyman apprentice blacksmith sitting on the anvil and looking up to the older blacksmith. In the scene the older blacksmith is clasping one hand on his younger protege in a handshake. He is also reaching down to grab the younger blacksmith’s other hand but the latter seems to hold his hand back close to his chest, rather than reaching out to hold his master’s other hand.

The bronze is signed on the side of the base Maurice Constant Favre, and has a stamp that says “2me Medaille Au Salon” which means it was awarded the second prize in the Paris salon. The bronze sits on a green marble base.

On the front of the base there are two brass plaques, the top one gives the title and the name of the sculptor of the bronze “Mutualite” Par Mr C.,T Favre .

The bottom one on the green marble base possibly indicates who owned the statue viz: “Les Mutiualistes de L”Arrondt De Mezieres MT ‘Arnoux”, and above “Chevalier De Legion D’honneur”

This is speculative but the bronze may have been given to a member of a “Mutualiste Society” in Paris and who was also a Knight of the highly prestigious “Legion D’honneur ”

The artist was born in Paris in 1875 and died there in 1915 at the age of 40. His body of work is small and his bronzes are rare. He was both a sculptor and a metal engraver and participated in the Paris salon from 1896 to 1914. His most popular and frequently seen work is that of a crusader knight titled Le Preux. Not much else is known about him or his achievements.

Dimensions: 27″H x 18″W x 9″D