VERY RARE SCULPTURE OF VENUS, MINERVA AND JUNO BY BARYE

Very rare bronze sculpture with brown-green patina, mounted on a lamp, representing three seated goddesses from Roman mythology. This model is an arrangement from the lower part of the candelabras made by Barye for the Duke of Montpensier’s epergne, entitled Angélique et Roger.
Venus on a dolphin, Minerva with an owl and Juno with a peacock rest on a circular base decorated with masks forming the lamp’s feet. They support a bronze pipe with green patina and fluting, mounted by a bulb case. Venus is the daughter of Jupiter, goddess of love and beauty.
Minerva, another daughter of Jupiter, is the goddess of wisdom and the arts.
Juno is the daughter of Saturn and Rhea, wife of Jupiter and goddess of marriage and the moon.
Signed Barye on the base.
French work carried out by the Barye ateliers around 1860-1870.
The model was recorded in Barye’s self-made bronze cast catalogues under number 12 in 1857 and under number 14 in 1862. This model was never reissued after his death. Very rare, with only two other versions appearing at auctions.