André-Antoine Ravrio was a well educated man and is considered to be one of the greatest bronzier in Paris during the pre and post Revolution period. He was not only very gifted and respected as a bronzier but also wrote and published two volumes of poetry as well as plays, and had three of them performing at Theatre Vaudeville in Paris. He enjoyed success during the Louis XVI period and even more so under the Napoleon era when he in 1806 was appointed to the Emperor´s chief bronzier. Due to the dangerous work with mercury in the gilding process as all bronziers experienced Ravrio promised a reward of 3000 francs to anyone who could come up with a safer way to protect craftsmen performing the mercury gilding. The work by André-Antoine Ravrio is considered to be some of the most beautiful works of its kind and can be found in the finest collections in places and museums.