An Exceptional Antique French Venus, Signed Bronze Bust on Marble Base, 1850's

This is a truly exceptional antique statue of Venus that dates from the 1850's. It is a bronze bust of exquisite beauty and fine artistic quality that is mounted on a tall black marble base. On the back the statue bears a signature of its maker, Ferdinand Barbedienne [1810 – 1892] who was a French metalworker and manufacturer, well known as a bronze founder from Paris. In 1838 he went into partnership with Achille Collas [1795-1859] - demonstrated by the second mark on the statue - who invented a machine to create miniature bronze replicas of famous statues. Together they started a business selling miniatures of classical statues from museums all over Europe, thus democratising art and making it more accessible to public at large. This was also a period when "Grand Tour" of Europe started to see an increse in American visitors who would purchase such artworks as souvenirs of their adventures. 
 
The stateu is in great antique condition with minor signs of ageing, only seen in minute chips on the marble base which are hadly noticable. It is exactly as I discovered it in Uzes in the South of France. For the full condition please refer to the images!