Silvered bronze group of the three graces after Germain Pilon

This group in silvered bronze, representing the three Graces, was realized at the time of Napoleon III after the monument of the heart of King Henri II by Germain Pilon executed in the sixteenth century. The bronze is resting on a green marble base. It is marked at the base «after Germain Pilon». The Graces are considered minor deities as companions of Aphrodite. They are the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. In most cases, the three Graces personify beauty, gentleness and friendship. They served as a theme for many artists. Germain Pilon, born around 1528 in Paris and died in 1590 in the same city, is one of the most important sculptors of the French Renaissance. He was the sculptor of tombs of French kings of the sixteenth century. Son of the sculptor André Pilon, he learned from him, in shaping the clay and stone cutting. Appointed Controller of Stamps and Coins of the king, he also learned the art of carving and cast bronze. From 1558 to his death, he worked for the Court of France, creating the tombs of Francois I and Henri ii, the effigies of him and Catherine de Medici, and the royal mint.
Circa :1860
Dim: w: 5.9 in - d: 5.9in - h: 11.8in.
Dim: L:15cm, P:15cm, H:30cm.