A pair of magnificent Second Empire bronze Statues
by François-Christophe-Armand Touissant
Material
Bronze; 48.0 x 153.0 cm
Dating
1850
About the artwork
Indian slaves carrying a torch.
About the artist
The sculptor François-Christophe-Armand Toussaint went to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1827. One of his teachers was the sculptor David d’Angres, a former student of the painter Jacques-Louis Davids. Later on, Toussaint himself taught sculpting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Between 1836 and 1850 he exhibited frequently at the Salon in Paris. He created several sculptures for important buildings like the Louvre or the Basilica Sainte-Clotilde. Around 1850 he helped with the restoration of sculptures in the Notre Dame de Paris, which had taken damage during the French Revolution. In 1852 he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor.