Bronze of bear cubs fighting by Victor Peter

A fine bronze depicting two bear cubs fighting by the sculptor Victor Peter 1840-1918. The work beautifully shows the two bear cubs play fighting, with them both on their hind legs and one biting the others muzzle. The work is signed to the front ‘V Peter’. Victor Peter 1840-1918 was taught by Vital-Cornu and Devaulx, and was a prolific and accomplished sculptor, painter, and medallist, exhibiting busts and medallions at the Paris Salon in 1868. He then went on to exhibit animalier bronzes and bas-reliefs from 1873 onwards. Peter exhibited at the Beaux-Arts in 1891 and the Exposition Universelle of 1900. He was honoured with a number of first and second-class medals at the Exposition of 1889 and 1900 and was also awarded the Legion d’Honneur in 1900. His work can be seen at Angers and Caen museums and his output included over one hundred bronzes, plaques, and medallions. Victor Peter was also much in demand as a finisher of other sculptors’ marbles, including the work of Rodin, as well as being a proficient direct carver (he was asked by Rodin to carve his most important marble sculpture, Christ and Mary Magdalene in 1908). A medallion of Rodin was among those that Peter showed at the Exposition Universelle of 1900. This bronze is also marked with a Susse Freres signature and pastille mark and the letter M to the back of the base. Susse Freres was the premier bronze foundry in Paris. The bronze is in very good untouched condition just the odd mark and visible join where the bronze figures are fixed to the base. The whole is an attractive and desirable animalier bronze. C.1900.
Overall sizes in inches:
7 wide
8 ¼ high
4 ½ deep