Valet of dogs on horseback leading his herd
This bronze statue represents a rider holding five dogs in his lap. This "valet de chiens" or "piqueux" watches over the pack during the hunt. A sloping terrace allows the group, composed of dogs, horse and rider, to unfold in several planes. This staging underlines the subtle tension that is exerted on the animals, ready to pull on their tether at the slightest alert, thus provoking a slight inclination of the chest in the picker. Pierre-Jules Mène, animal sculptor, is interested in both domestic and wild animals.
Hunting holds a privileged place in his work. In a concern for realism, he regularly visited the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes. He inaugurated his own foundry in 1837 and produced works appreciated in France and England. Pierre-Jules Mène received numerous medals at the Salon, an exhibition organized periodically in Paris and presenting the work of living artists. This sculpted group is however the only public commission made to the artist. At the 1869 Salon, Napoleon III bought the wax model and its bronze prints.
