The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has acquired an exceptional terracotta tripod created by French sculptor Joseph Chinard around 1793, marking another significant addition to the museum's collection of revolutionary-era French art. The acquisition was made through London-based Stuart Lochhead Gallery during the 2025 edition of The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht.
This remarkable piece, measuring 75.8 x 38.3 x 38.3 cm, represents a rare example of Chinard's work that bridges the gap between sculpture and decorative arts. The tripod, also known as an "Athénienne," showcases the exceptional quality and craftsmanship that characterized the artist's output during the French Revolutionary period. The acquisition follows a trend of renewed interest in Chinard's work, as evidenced by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' purchase of a charming child's bust by the same artist at TEFAF 2024.
Joseph Chinard (1756-1813) is perhaps best known today for his portrait busts and medallions, but his artistic output was far more diverse and ambitious. Throughout his career, he executed numerous public commissions, including monuments that unfortunately survive today only through rare testimonies and documentation. His monument to General Desaix serves as one notable example of these largely lost public works that once dotted the French landscape.
The Revolutionary period, followed by the Consulate and especially the Empire, positioned Chinard favorably among artists who placed their talents in service of the ruling powers and the wealthy families within their circles. This political alignment allowed him to secure prestigious private commissions that supplemented his public work, establishing him as one of the period's most sought-after sculptors.
The newly acquired tripod stands as one of the very few surviving examples of Chinard's extraordinary production outside his more commonly preserved portrait work. The piece features rich iconography that reflects the revolutionary spirit of its time, incorporating classical motifs and symbolic elements that were popular during the 1790s. The terracotta medium, which Chinard handled with exceptional skill, allows for intricate detail work that would have been difficult to achieve in other materials.
This acquisition highlights the Metropolitan Museum's continued commitment to expanding its collection of French decorative arts and sculpture from the revolutionary period. The piece not only represents Chinard's technical mastery but also serves as an important historical document, capturing the aesthetic and political sensibilities of a transformative moment in French history when artists were reimagining classical forms for a new republican context.
