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Gérôme exécutant Les Gladiateurs: Monument to Gérôme

Gérôme exécutant Les Gladiateurs. Monument à Gérôme, originally known as The Gladiators, is a bronze sculptural group by Jean-Léon Gérôme and Aimé Morot. Created between 1878 and 1909, it measures 3.6 × 1.82 × 1.70 metres and is now in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Gérôme’s first part, made in 1878 by Eugène Gonon using the lost-wax casting technique, depicts a murmillio standing over a defeated retiarius, inspired by his painting Pollice verso. In 1905, Aimé Morot added a commemorative figure of Gérôme at work, shown in working clothes with his tools, sculpting the Gladiators. The bronze artist figure was cast in 1909 by Adrien-Aurélien Hébrard.

The Gladiators sculpture showing an armored fighter standing over a defeated opponent on the ground.
Jean-Léon Gérôme’s The Gladiators depicts a triumphant armored fighter over a fallen opponent.
1892 © photogravure Goupil · Public domain
The Gladiators bronze sculpture showing an armored warrior standing over a fallen adversary.
Jean-Léon Gérôme’s The Gladiators, shown in a photogravure of the bronze sculpture, depicts an armored figure standing over a defeated opponent.
1892 © photogravure Goupil · Public domain
The Gladiators bronze sculpture group showing a helmeted combatant standing over a fallen opponent beside a standing figure.
The Gladiators bronze sculpture group displayed indoors, with a helmeted fighter triumphant over a fallen opponent.
2010 © · Public domain
The Gladiators terracotta figure wearing a helmet and holding a small shield
The Gladiators, shown as a terracotta gladiator figure with a helmet and shield.
© · CC0
The Gladiators sculpture showing a man sculpting two fighters, one standing victorious over a fallen opponent.
The Gladiators sculpture depicts a man carving a scene of two fighters, with one standing over the other.
2010 © · Public domain

Identification

TitleGérôme exécutant Les Gladiateurs. Monument à Gérôme
TypeBronze sculptural group
Also known asThe Gladiators (Les Gladiateurs)

Historical context

Exhibition statusFirst official sculpture Gérôme exhibited at the Universal Exposition of 1878
Creation period1878 to 1909

Creator

Bronze makerAdrien-Aurélien Hébrard
Relationship to GérômeSon-in-law
SculptorAimé Morot
ArtistsJean-Léon Gérôme and Aimé Morot

Physical characteristics

Dimensions3.6 × 1.82 × 1.70 meters

Materials

MaterialBronze

Technique

TechniqueLost-wax casting
Bronze techniqueLost-wax casting

History and restoration

First part of the sculptural groupCreated by Jean-Léon Gérôme in 1878 and executed by Eugène Gonon
Nazi occupation historyDuring the Nazi occupation, the statue was placed on a list of bronzes to be melted down and recycled
Stored at the fort1971 to 1980
Restored1981 by the Fondation de Coubertin in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse
Saved byGérôme's daughter, who convinced the prefect of the Seine to reverse the decision
Bronze additionThe bronze figure of the artist was added to Gérôme's original subject in 1909
Sent to state storageAround 1967
CommissionCommissioned in 1905 by the Service d'achat aux artistes vivants as a commemorative monument to Gérôme

Iconography and meaning

Depicted scene in the original subjectA murmillo tramples a defeated retiarius who is asking for mercy while waiting for the emperor to authorize the finishing blow
Based onGérôme's painting Pollice verso
PurposeA tribute to Gérôme

Location and ownership

Current locationMusée d'Orsay, Paris
Final museum assignmentAssigned to the Musée d'Orsay in 1980
Current display locationIntermediate level, on the Seine terrace of the Musée d'Orsay
Stored atFort militaire du Mont-Valérien
Original display locationInstalled in the Louvre's gardens
Assigned tothe Louvre Museum
Acquired bythe Service d'achat aux artistes vivants
Intended locationThe Garden of the Infanta at the Louvre

Appearance

DepictionJean-Léon Gérôme in a realistic work scene, wearing work clothes and holding his tools while sculpting his Gladiators