The Fin de Siècle: 1890s & Late Victorian Culture

19TH CENTURY CREATION BY FERDINAND LEVILLAIN (1837-1905) AND FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE (1810-1892):

FERDINAND LEVILLAIN (1837-1905)

He follows the teaching of the sculptor Jouffroy (1806-1887) before to begin his career in 1861 at the Salon des Artistes Français where he exhibited until 1903)
It is at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1867 that he attracts all the attention thanks to the creation of a Neo-Greeck gilt-bronze coupe for the Blot and Drouard House.
It is from 1871 that he knows the renowned thanks to his association with the famous bronze-maker Ferdinand Barbedienne.
Levillain triumphs at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878, winning with unanimity a Gold Medal for his antic pieces of art.
After received a first class medal at the Salon of 1884, he wins a silver medal at the 1889 Universal Exhibition.

FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE (1810-1892)

One of the most important bronze founder of 19th century, BARBEDIENNE produced casts of contemporary artists as well as of sculptors of the past centuries, he reproduced Greek and Roman antiques. He experienced the technique of champlevé and cloisonné enamels to create objects in the Medieval and Renaissance style. He also supplied mounts for furniture makers.

In 1838, he associated with Achille Colas (1795-1859) who had just invented to reproduce statues at a smaller scale. Together, they founded in 1839 the compangy “Collas et Barbedienne” to reproduce cast both of contemporary artists and Greek and Raman antiquities. From 1860 to the years 1890, Barbedienne, eager to research new processes, experimented new techniques in champlevé and cloisonné-enamels, to compete with Japonese importations, very fashionable then…