A Secret from on High after Hyppolite Moulin Mercury Hermes Bronze Statue Sculpture 17" x 10"

Introducing Secret d'en haut (A Secret from On High), a magnificent bronze statue inspired by the original black marble statue by Hyppolite Moulin, housed in the Orsay Museum in Paris. Hyppolite Moulin, a notable 19th-century French sculptor, crafted this masterpiece in 1873. His talent and dedication to his craft shine through his remarkable sculptures. Moulin's renowned work, A Lucky Find at Pompeii (Une Trouvaille à Pompei), garnered significant recognition and acclaim. This bronze statue portrays a joyful, nude boy with a raised leg, dancing with a spade in hand after discovering a Roman statuette. The pose of the boy mirrors that of the statuette itself, suggesting the excavator's imagination of being in the original statuette's pose. It became Moulin's most famous work, winning a medal at the Paris Salon of 1864 and becoming a cherished piece exhibited at the Musée d'Orsay. In addition to A Lucky Find at Pompeii, Moulin's portfolio includes other notable works such as Victoria Mars and A Secret from On High. The latter sculpture depicts a life-size adolescent nude Mercury (Hermes) whispering a secret to a herm, a pillar crowned with a bust of himself, symbolizing the trust in the herm to keep his secret forever. Moulin's talent and artistry were recognized with Salon medals and exhibition at the Exposition Universelle. Unfortunately, Moulin's later years were spent in a rest home for the mentally ill. However, his artistic legacy endures through his exceptional sculptures, including Secret d'en haut. This bronze statue pays homage to Moulin's artistic brilliance and is a testament to his contribution to the world of sculpture.