Bronze figure ‘Le Travail (the work)’ from the French sculptor Emil Louis Picault (1833 - 1915) Signed E. Picault in the plinth, French foundry stamp on the back. Fabrication Francaise, Paris was a production company that manufactured sculptures after the artist had produced bronze sculptures. These reproductions were rarely cast in bronze, but rather in spelter (white metal), sometimes with manufactured pieces in bronze and bronze, and were painted to recreate the acid patina of a bronze cast. The sculptures were most likely made between 1892 and 1915 for the home decoration and export market. This one is a muscular young man - a blacksmith - leaning against his anvil. There is a hammer on it, and he has the pliers for his next component in his right hand. He is resting his left hand on his hip. While his body appears to be in a matte bronze tone, his clothes have been kept in a soft green tone. This creates additional tension and plasticity for this statuette. Unfortunately the figure’s right arm is broken in the upper part (see pictures), but it is still held together tightly by a wooden wedge on the inside. This does not, however, diminish the artist’s great work.