Equestrian Statue of Louis XV
by BOUCHARDON, Edme, Bronze, height 69 cm
Bouchardon’s style falls within the trend of the classical reaction against Rococo excesses. The Roman-style equestrian statue of Louis XV, commissioned by the City of Paris in 1748 for the Place Louis XV, was preceded by a number of preparatory drawings. Cast in 1758 and inaugurated in 1763 after the death of the sculptor, it was destroyed in the Revolution in 1792. It is known to us, however, through engravings and such small bronze models as one in the Louvre, made by Louis Vass�. The original pedestal was completed by Pigalle.