Étienne Marin MÉLINGUE (Caen, 1807 - Paris, 1875) Hugues Bouffé (1800-1888) as Joseph in "Le Gamin de Paris" 1836 Bronze with brown patina Inscribed: "BOUFFÉ / RÔLE DU GAMIN / DE PARIS / 1836" on the rock at the back H. 29 cm Related work: Étienne Marin Mélingue, Portrait of Hugues Bouffé (1800-1888), actor, bronze, Paris, Musée Carnavalet, inv. S1957. This bronze statuette by Étienne Marin Mélingue represents the actor Hugues Bouffé playing Joseph in Le Gamin de Paris. This comedy written by Jean-François Bayard and Émile Vanderburch was first performed on January 30, 1836 at the Gymnase Dramatique theater and was a huge success with more than 300 performances. Born in Caen, Étienne Mélingue trained in drawing and sculpture with Henri Elouis and Odelli and became very passionate about the performing arts. Supported by Pierre-Aimé Lair (1769-1853), a great agronomist and philanthropist from Caen who believed in his talents as a sculptor, the young artist moved to Paris where he became an actor. He joined several theater companies and became friends with many personalities, including Alexandre Dumas, Paul Meurice and Victor Hugo. In parallel to his acting career, Etienne Mélingue pursued sculpture and set up his workshop in his house in Belleville. He exhibited at the Salons from 1853 to 1855. His passion for the theater was evident in his production of statuettes of actors, like our bronze, and authors such as the young Pierre Corneille (Petite-Couronne, Musée Départemental Pierre Corneille, inv. 1909.4.1), Jean de La Fontaine (Château-Thierry, Musée Jean de La Fontaine, inv. 2007.11.1) and Molière, whose bronze was a gift to the Théâtre Français.