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Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem' image 1
Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem' image 2
Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem' image 3
Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem' image 4
Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem' image 5
Lot 134TP

Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem'

Fine Decorative Arts
1 July 2025, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £8,960 inc. premium

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Jean Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904): A patinated bronze model of 'Young Christ entering Jerusalem'

The flowing haired youth astride his humble steed, his right hand raised in blessing, a small donkey to the right, raised on naturalistic base covered in palm leaves, the base signed J.L.GEROME, 66cm high overall

Footnotes

Provenance
Probably acquired by the present vendor from Christies sometime in the early 2000s.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824–1904) was one of the most celebrated artists of 19th-century France, known for his academic style and meticulous attention to detail. Trained in Paris under leading academic masters, he gained early acclaim for his historical and Orientalist paintings, becoming one of the most successful and widely recognised artists of his era. His precise technique and theatrical compositions made him a key figure in the official art world of the Second Empire.

In the later part of his career, Gérôme shifted his focus from painting to sculpture, bringing the same rigorous craftsmanship and dramatic sensibility to three-dimensional form. He explored a wide range of materials including tinted marble, bronze, ivory, and precious stones, creating works that combined classical subjects with a vivid sense of movement and expression. His sculptural practice marked a significant evolution in his artistic direction, allowing him to reinterpret familiar themes with renewed vitality and technical innovation.

This transition revitalised his career and reinforced his reputation as a versatile and accomplished academic artist. Though his style eventually fell out of favour with the rise of modernism, Gérôme's influence remained strong, particularly through his teaching at the École des Beaux-Arts. His sculptural works stand as a testament to his enduring commitment to form, beauty, and the academic tradition, bridging the disciplines of painting and sculpture in a period of profound change in the art world.

This rare model by Gérôme was initially thought to have never been cast in bronze by G. M. Ackerman in his publication The Life and Work of Jean-Léon Gérôme, London and New York, 1986, p. 323, no. S.44. N.

However at least two bronze versions have appeared on the art market since the turn of this century. Both were offered by Sotheby's, the first in 16 April 2002 (lot 200), the second with an unusual bi-colour patination, cast by the Siot-Decauville foundry, on the 14 July, 2021 (lot 59).

The mule in these models is a direct reference to Gérôme's earlier sculptural group Christ Entering Jerusalem, a work to which the all bear a strong connection. In these versions, the base strewn with palm branches has been marginally widened to make room for an foal. Notably, the figure of Christ is rendered as a child, seated side-saddle and holding the Crown of Thorns. This youthful Christ mirrors the traditional gesture of benediction, addressing an unseen throng in what is unmistakably an allegorical and visionary treatment—foreshadowing both his fate and, more specifically, his future entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Additional information

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