Posthumous Casts

Posthumous casts done by foundries that purchased an artist's master molds and models after the artist's death will sometimes be found.  These will usually be the works of more established artists.  The casting models of Antoine Louis Barye, Pierre Jules Mene, Auguste Cain, and Emmanuel Fremiet were all sold after their deaths. Most of these molds and models were purchased by Ferdinand Barbedienne or Amedee Susse whose foundries were the largest in Paris, together employing over 200 foundry workers.  These posthumous casts will have the foundry stamp of either Barbedienne or Susse Freres located on them which identifies them as later casts.  A posthumous cast of a major artist's work will bring very near what an original edition of the same subject will since they will have been made from the original master model and finished by possibly the same workmen who did the patina on the artist's original edition. It may very well be that the same artisan who worked with the artist on the original edition was given the task of making the posthumous casts after the artist's death.  Most posthumous casts were done for only a few years following the death of the artist. The quality of workmanship in these later Susse and Barbedienne casts sometimes rival the original editions and the prices realized for the sale of these fine later casts approximate those of the original editions of an artist's work.

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