A Christofle Trophy Group of Cattle (c. 1870) by Pierre Louis Rouillard

Commissioned by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, the nation's most powerful economic institution, this unusual trophy was produced by the prestigious French silversmiths Christofle in collaboration with the sculptor Pierre Louis Rouillard (1820 - 1881). Rouillard was renown as a sculptor and professor of sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His public sculptures in France include works for the Opéra de Paris, Palais du Louvre and Fontaine Saint-Michel. Sultan Abdulaziz, the ruler of Turkey, commissioned Rouillard to make several monuments that can be found throughout modern Istanbul.

This group of cattle, in sterling silver over bronze, is a remarkable showpiece, demonstrating Rouillard's arsenal of skills in composition and anatomical mastery.

13 ½ x 16 ½ x 11 ½ in.