An antique French bronze of Jean de la Fontaine, after Ernest Rancoulet, seated upon a rocky outcrop, posturing as he reads from a book, traces of gilt remain. Cast maker's marks and registration diamond dating to 1883, height 10.63 in. Note: Jean de La Fontaine (1621-95) was a French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century.
- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
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