"Une heure de la nuit" Joseph Pollet (1814/1870)

Bronze statuette from the late nineteenth century (1885/1895) in very good condition, nuanced light brown medal patina, meticulous chasing, edited by the E. COLIN &Cie Paris foundry, known for the high quality requirements in its productions. Signature on the base and stamp of the founder.
The work of the sculptor Joseph Pollet, this allegorical representation of a young woman rising into the clouds was probably inspired by the "Hours of Raphael", a series of 12 neoclassical gouaches, published in the 19th century. The original sculpture (in marble) was presented at the Salon des Artistes in 1850 under the title: "An Hour of the Night".
Joseph Michelangelo Pollet was born in 1814 in Palermo (Sicily) to French parents. His training began with the master sculptors Villaréale, Thorwaldsen and Tenerani. After various stays in Belgium, France and a return to Italy, he settled permanently in Paris and exhibited at the Salon from 1846 until 1869. Solicited for major commissions from the State (Paris Opera, Louvre Museum, etc.), he also participated in the ornamentation of religious monuments (churches and basilicas). Many distinctions have been awarded to this brilliant sculptor, including the Legion of Honour in 1856.