circa 1820. Large impressive bronze of the General standing in military tunic, wearing a Polish fur cap on his head, high riding boots with spurs, his left arm leaning on his saber. On the base with name inscription "Kosciuszko", on the left side of the base with artist's signature "fec. David S. Angers". Total height 68 cm, weight 13.2 kg. The bronze with beautiful patina, the granite base slightly chipped at the corners. Condition 2.

A. Tadeusz B. Kosciuszko (1746 Poland-Lithuania - 1817 Switzerland) was a Polish military engineer who became a Polish national hero in the Russo-Polish War of 1792 and as leader of the "Kosciuszko Uprising" of 1794 against the partition powers Russia and Prussia. After his studies at the Military Academy in Warsaw and studies at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he joined a volunteer corps in 1776. He fought in the American Revolutionary War at the side of George Washington.
The American Congress appointed him as Colonel of Engineers and he built eight fortifications for the protection of New York and Philadelphia, which contributed greatly to the victory against England. On the Southern Front he was himself in combat action. For his services he was promoted to Brigadier General by President Washington.
He returned to Poland and was appointed Major General under King Stanislaw Poniatowski. He was commander of the Polish troops against the Russian invasion and in 1794 led the freedom struggle in the uprising named after him against Russia and Prussia. He was taken into Russian captivity, Paul II pardoned him and he went into exile in the United States until 1798. There he was in close contact with Thomas Jefferson. However, he returned to France and wanted to liberate Poland under Napoleon Bonaparte. But Napoleon had other objectives. After the failure of his further efforts to reunite Poland, especially his homeland Lithuania, he went into exile in Switzerland and died there in 1817.

Kosciuszko represented the ideals of the Enlightenment and supported the worldwide movement for the abolition of slavery. According to his will, Jefferson was to use Kosciuszko's fortune for the purchase of freedom and education of slaves. The status of national hero is attributed to him not only in Poland but also in Belarus, in the United States and partly in Lithuania.

Pierre Jean David d'Angers (1788 Angers-1856 Paris), French sculptor and medalist. He received his first instruction in drawing from his father, a wood carver. He went to Paris in 1800, where initially he earned his living through stonework. Later he was admitted to the studio of sculptor Philippe-Laurent Roland (1746–1816). The painter Jacques Louis David accepted him into his teaching studio in 1810. In 1811 he was awarded the "Prix de Rome" by the "Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture". Connected with this award was a study residence at the Villa Medici in Rome. There he also worked for some time in Antonio Canova's studio. Via England he returned to Paris. The fertility of his imagination and the facility in technical execution favored an extremely extensive activity. He undertook study trips to Weimar, Munich, Stuttgart, Berlin and Dresden. The result of these were busts of colossal size of Goethe, Schelling, Dannecker, Tieck and Christian Daniel Rauch. He designed the pediment of the Pantheon in Paris, in which he grouped the most famous men since the Revolutionary era around the Fatherland.

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A Bronze Statuette of Tadeusz Kościuszko – A Critical Examination of Attribution

This bronze figure presents a full-length standing representation purported to depict Tadeusz Kościuszko (1746–1817), the Polish military engineer and national hero. According to the object description, the figure wears a military coat, a Polish fur cap, tall riding boots with spurs, and leans with his left arm on a saber. The base bears the inscription “Kosciuszko” along with the artist’s signature “fec. David S. Angers.” The total height is stated as 68 cm with a weight of 13.2 kg; the bronze reportedly has a patina and rests on a granite socle.

The Question of Attribution to David d’Angers

Pierre-Jean David d’Angers (1788 Angers – 1856 Paris) was one of the most important French sculptors of the first half of the nineteenth century. His prodigious output included full-length statues of major historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson (1832–34), Johannes Gutenberg (1839–40), and numerous French heroes. His most celebrated monumental commission in Paris was the sculptural program for the pediment of the Panthéon, in which he grouped the most famous men of the Revolutionary era around the figure of the Fatherland.

David d’Angers is indeed documented as having created portrait medallions of Kościuszko. These medallions, approximately 16–17 cm in diameter and dating to circa 1830–1833, are held in collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and have appeared in auction records. They are signed “P.J. DAVID.”

However, collectors should be aware of a major attribution issue surrounding this object. Extensive research across major museum collections – including the Metropolitan Museum, the Louvre, the National Gallery of Art, and the Musée David d’Angers in the artist’s native city – as well as scholarly sources and auction records, has found no evidence of a full-length standing bronze statue of Tadeusz Kościuszko by Pierre-Jean David d’Angers. While the sculptor undeniably depicted Kościuszko in medallion form, the Polish hero does not appear among his documented monumental or statuesque works.

The Signature Problem

A further point of concern relates to the form of the signature itself. The present object bears the inscription “fec. David S. Angers.” However, David d’Angers’ documented signatures on verified works – particularly his medallions and other sculptures – typically read “P.J. DAVID” or simply “DAVID.” The signature form “David S. Angers” with the Latin prefix “fec.” (fecit, meaning “made by”) does not correspond to the artist’s known signing conventions. This discrepancy should give serious pause to any prospective buyer or collector.

Kościuszko as a Subject of Commemoration

Tadeusz Andrzej Bonawentura Kościuszko was one of the most remarkable figures of the Enlightenment era, a man whose military career spanned continents and whose ideals transcended borders. He holds the status of a national hero not only in Poland but also in Belarus, the United States, and to some extent in Lithuania. This widespread veneration produced a rich iconographic tradition throughout the nineteenth century, with numerous artists across Europe and America creating portraits, busts, and statues in his honor.

The present statuette, regardless of the open questions surrounding its authorship, belongs to this broader tradition of Kościuszko commemoration. The depiction of the general in full military attire, leaning on his saber in a posture suggestive of reflective resolve, is consistent with the romanticized portrayals common to the early and mid-nineteenth century.

Assessment for Collectors

For the serious collector of nineteenth-century sculpture and military memorabilia, this object raises substantial questions that demand careful scrutiny. The attribution to David d’Angers cannot be confirmed based on current research. No comparable piece exists in major museum holdings, no scholarly documentation supports the existence of such a work, and the signature form deviates from the artist’s established practice. These factors, taken together, constitute significant grounds for caution.

This does not necessarily render the bronze without artistic or historical merit – a well-executed nineteenth-century representation of Kościuszko remains a notable collectible in its own right. However, the specific claim of authorship by one of France’s foremost sculptors requires far more substantial evidentiary support than the base inscription alone can provide. Prospective collectors are strongly advised to seek an independent art-historical assessment addressing the artist’s catalogue of works, the casting technique, and the provenance of this specific piece before proceeding with any acquisition.