A rich dark patinated bronze, on a black/coloured vein marble base.  As new condition. Very rare. 

79 cm long, 75 cm tall, 27 cm wide.

Very heavy. Collection ONLY in person from Bedfordshire, no couriers.  

Based on an original sculpture by Alfred Emile O’Hara Comte de Nieuwerkerke (1811-1892)

Sculpture conceived in 1858 depicting  “ La Mort de Duc de Clarence”  ( “The Death of the Duke of Clarence”)

Base is inscribed : “Par le Cte de Nieuwerkerke 1858”.

Stamped with the Foundry medallion "Fonderie Bords De Seine".


Depicting the combat of the Duke of Clarence and The Chevalier (Knight) Garin de Fontaine. 

Apparently the inspiration for this sculpture is based on the Chronicle of Anjou and of Maine, by Jehan de Bourdigné (1547) :  

“As the Duke was sitting at dinner, he heard that the French troops were in Baugé and that they were deliberately ready to fight. He suddenly arose, decided to go and confront them as fast as possible. Fearing to be delayed if he lead warriors, wanting no foot soldier to properly sack the bodies, he went. The aforesaid Duke Thomas was the first Englishman to launch an attack on the French, and against him rushed Messire Garin forward, Lord of Fontaine, a very good knight from the lands of Amon, of great impetuosity. He threw the Duke of Clarence to the ground, and the latter never rose. On the English side many brave fell in this battle. Such was the defeat of the year of Our Lord 1421, which was very painful to the English and a huge comfort to His Royal Highness the Dauphin.”

The Duke of Clarence, named Thomas of Lancaster or Thomas Plantagenet, (1388-1421) (of the House of Lancaster, a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet)  was no less than the second son of Henri IV, King of England.  In the battle his lance broke, his horse is rearing and he is just about to be unhorsed. Thomas of Lancaster had come offering his support to his brother to conquer Normandy between 1417 and 1419, and had then kept marching on Anjou, to take back the lands of his ancestor Geoffrey of Anjou. In 1421, he is caught in an ambush by the troops of Charles VII, the Crown of France’s dauphin, and was killed by Knight Garin de Fontaine. 

Garin de Fontaine provides with his body the diagonal and dynamical line giving such energy to this sculpture.