Michelangelo’s Moses Statue

Bronze double inkstand – the base is heavy slate with holders for two paneled cobalt glass inkwells. In the center is a bronze casting of Michelangelo’s Moses statue.  Achille Collas, the inventor of a revolutionary process that reduced large statues to smaller sizes, created this bronze.  With Ferdinand Barbedienne, Collas established the Barbedienne Foundry in Paris in 1838.  Collas died in 1859, leaving his share of the foundry to Barbedienne, who continued the work of the foundry until his death just before the turn of the century. This piece is an original 19th century Barbedienne Foundry casting using the invention of Achille Collas to create the sculpture. The mark on the sculpture reads “A. Collas, Brevete Reduction Mechanique”.  

 A second Moses inkstand with a red marble base is also pictured.