David vainqueur de Goliath by Antonin Mercié

Antonin Mercié
1845-1916 | French

David vainqueur de Goliath
(David Conquering Goliath)

Signed "A.Mercié"
Bronze

Created by the hailed French sculptor Antonin Mercié, David vainqueur de Goliath stands among the artist's crowning achievements in sculpture. An exceptional rarity capturing a timeless biblical tale, the larger-than-life sculpture is one of only three large-scale bronzes of Mercié's David ever produced; one greets visitors as they enter the famed Musée d'Orsay in Paris, while the other stands proudly in front of the Musée des Augustins in Toulouse.

When the artist Antonin Mercié showcased his grand plaster depicting David and Goliath at the 1872 Paris Salon, it overjoyed both the critics and the visitors and won First Prize. Impressed with the superb model, the French state commissioned two bronzes from his plaster. Because of the purchase by the French state, all further casts were prohibited, with the singular exception being a bronze the artist could create for himself and never sell during his lifetime. For this reason, Antonin Mercié crafted this present bronze rendition of the David sculpture for his personal collection.

The biblical odyssey of David and Goliath has seized the imagination of history’s greatest artists, from Michelangelo to Donatello and Bernini. The beloved tale of the underdog’s triumph had special significance to the French artist in 1872, as Prussia had just overwhelmed France in the Franco-Prussian War and Napoleon II’s reign as the last Emperor of France had ended. Mercié's highly compelling rendition of the timeless narrative depicting David at the moment of victory held special significance.

The nude youth stands in a classical contrapposto as he sheaths his sword. His countenance is calm and determined, having vanquished the giant. Goliath’s head, proof of David’s achievement, rests beneath the victor’s right foot. Mercié's bronze is considered one of the greatest sculptures of the 19th century and was widely copied in much smaller versions. None of these smaller examples, however, manage to capture the awe-inspiring presence embodied by the original David, which stands at over 8 feet tall on its later base.

Further distinguished by prestigious provenance, the exquisite bronze was once part of the collection of famed French engineer and industrialist Auguste Lumière. Along with his brother, Louis Jean, Lumière was an early manufacturer of photography equipment and an artistic visionary who was among France's first filmmakers. The two produced several short films together between 1895 and 1905, and David vainqueur de Goliath remained a prized treasure in their family for decades.

Circa 1894-1910

73 3/4" high x 37 1/8" wide x 22 1/2" deep

Provenance:
Private Collection of Auguste Lumière
Private Collection (by descent)
M.S. Rau, New Orleans