Adam's The Irish Library Wednesday 17th April 2019

122 152 AFTER CLAUDE MICHEL (CLODION), FRENCH 19TH CENTURY, $ SDLU RI SDWLQDWHG EURQ]H VWDQGLQJ ȴJXUHV of cherubs, modelled as the bird nester and dog thief, each raised on beaded circular base, signed, 32.5cm high € 500 - 800 151 AUGUSTE POITEVIN A pair of rearing horses with Restraining Attendants Bronzed metal, 60cm tall x 50cm wide € 2,000 - 4,000 The French sculptor Auguste Poitevin, a pupilo of Francois Rude, seems to have been very attracted to English litera- ture. His works include bronzes of Shakespeare, the English romantic poet Lord Byron, and Walter Scott. Byron wrote the epic poem ‘Mazeppa’ in 1819, based on a legend about a Ukrainian Cosack, Ivan Mazeppa (1639– 1709). According to the poem, the young Mazeppa has a ORYH D΍DLU ZLWK D &RXQWHVV 7KHUHVD ZKLOH VHUYLQJ DV D SDJH at the Court of King John II Casimir Vasa. She was married to a much older Count. In revenge, the Count tied Mazeppa, naked, to a wild horse which he then set free. The poem describes the traumatic journey of the hero strapped to the KRUVH DQ LPDJH RI VX΍HULQJ DQG HQGXUDQFH 7KH SRHP LQ - spired Pushkin to write a poem ‘Poltava’ in response, as well as a number of paintings, sculptures, and even an opera by Tchaikovsky (composed 1881-83).