after Jean Antoine Houdon (French, 1721-1848), Seated Portrait of Voltaire

late 19th century, carved white marble, with incised artist signature "A. De Vasselot" for Jean-Joseph-Marie-Anatole Marquet de Vasselot (French, 1840-1904), a finely executed maquette version after the 1778 life-size original by Jean Antoine Houdon.
26 1/2 x 16 x 20 1/2 in.
Jean-Joseph-Marie-Anatole Marquet de Vasselot, also known as Count Anatole Marquet de Vasselot was a French sculptor and uncle of Jean-Jacques Marquet de Vasselot (1871-1946), the French archaeologist and art historian and curator at the Louvre. Count Anatole Marquet de Vasselot trained in drawing and sculpture under François Jouffroy, painter Léon Bonnat, Charles-Auguste Lebourg, and Guillaume Bonnet. He produced dozens of busts of religious and civil figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Balzac, and Lamartine. He designed animal subjects for the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, and made four busts for the south facade of the Rouen library.
From 1874 to 1882, Count Anatole Marquet de Vasselot became inspector of drawing education for the department of the Seine. He would go on to receive many awards and merits including being named Knight of the Legion of Honor; Grand Officer of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; Grand-cross of military merit from Spain, among others. He was also a member of the Society of People of Letters, of the Society of Friends of the Arts, the Society of French Artists, the Academy of Fine Arts of Lisbon, and others.
By Descent of the Boardman, Devitt and Dawkins families, New England and California.

Some scattered chips; cracks to upper chair and front corner of base with associated restoration; some surface staining.