Chien braque a la feuille' a late victorian bronze pointer by pierre jules mene (1810-1879). Excellent patination, signed 'p.j. Mene' to base. Dimensions: h 11cm w 22cm d 9.5cm origin: french date: circa 1860 literature: payne christopher, 'animals in bronze reference and price guide', p219 pierre- jules mêne was born in 1810. As a teenager, he worked for his father as a metal turner, culminating in the casting of his own bronze sculptures, under his foundry, by 1838. Mêne specialised in small bronze animal figures that were popular with the bourgeois of the french second empire. To meet popular demand, he produced more editions than other contemporaries of his time. While his work is often priced lower in comparison with the likes of barye, the quality is as high as the best of his counterparts, often being described as the lost-wax casting expert of his time ‘ cire perdue method’. He died in paris in 1879 . He is now considered one of the pioneers of animal sculptures in the 19 th century.