Jules Moigniez was
born in France in 1835. He began his studies under Paul
Comolera. Because of Comolera’s interest in the subject,
Moigniez began sculpting birds. Throughout his career,
his subjects of choice would actually be game birds. He
also sculpted horses and dogs. Today, he is remembered
as one of the great anamalier sculptures, and his work
is admired for its detail, craftsmanship, and unique
style.
Moigniez’s first exhibit took place when he was 20 years
old. It was in 1855 at the Paris Exposition Universelle.
At this event, he exhibited a plaster titled Pointer
Stopping at A Pheasant. From this point on, he exhibited
his works. He began showing his pieces at the Salon from
1859-1892. During this time, he showcased thirty
sculptures at the Salon and exhibited other pieces in
England. His work became most popular with the people of
England although he experienced success with art
enthusiasts in England and America. Most of his game
bird sculptures are thought to have been sold in
America. |
|
Moigniez’s father was
a metal glider. He wholeheartedly supported his son’s
pursuit of art. For this reason, most of Moigniez’s
bronzes were actually cast by his father in a foundry
established in 1857. Moigniez’s foundry also cast the
bronzes of a few other, select artists. His father, just
like Moigniez, was a meticulous worker, focusing much
attention to detail. The bronzes stand out from the work
of many others of the time period in that many of them
were embellished. They didn’t always have the standard
finish. For example, some were gilded or silver plated.
Many bore unusual finishes. It became a Moigniez
trademark. Other artists would later follow in the trend
that Moigniez started.
In 1869, at the age of 34, Moigniez became very ill.
Unfortunately, he never recovered. He stopped producing
new sculptures, and in 1894, he committed suicide. After
Moigniez’s death, his father continued to keep his son’s
legacy alive by casting his son’s works. When Moigniez’s
father passed away, Aususte Gouge bought the plasters
and models. He had cast most of Paul Comolera’s works (Moigniez’s
instructor). Gouge produced Moigniez’s sculptures for
several more years. Moigniez will be remembered as a
truly talented anamalier sculptor.
Because of his popularity, pieces by Moigniez do exist
in the United States; however a Moigniez signature does
not guarantee that the bronze is the work of the artist.
In fact, some of the bronzes bearing the signature of
Moigniez have been found to be the work of a California
artist named Max Turner. In the 1960s, an art dealer
added the Moigniez signature to many of his pieces to
boost sales. It is highly possible that the work of
Turner is actually partly responsible for helping
solidify Moigniez's reputation as such a renowned
anamalier sculptor. |
