The Victory of Samothrace. Bronze with green patina. Victoir - Lot 731

The Victory of Samothrace. Bronze with green patina. Victoire du cinéma français" trophy awarded to actress Martine Carol (1920-1967) in 1956. H: 21.5 cm. The Victoires du cinéma français are French film awards, created in 1946 by the magazine Cinémonde. The trophies represented a miniature of the Victory of Samothrace, and were presented to the winners each year at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and later at the Nuit du Cinéma. They gradually disappeared in the 1960s, to be replaced by the Étoiles de cristal, created in 1955 and awarded by a professional jury, which in turn were replaced by the César du cinéma in 1976. There were two types of trophy: victories awarded by cinema managers following a referendum organized by the magazine Le Film Français, and victories awarded by cinema-goers following a referendum organized by the magazine Cinémonde. Several categories were represented: Best French Film, Best Foreign Film, Best French Actress, Best Foreign Actress, Best French Actor, Best Foreign Actor. Because of the magazine's mass readership, the most popular stars were frequently rewarded. The 7th Victoires du cinéma français, for the year 1952, were awarded on June 13, 1953 in Paris in the Tuileries gardens, during the "Kermesse aux étoiles", in the presence of Vincent Auriol, President of the Republic, and Jean-Marie Louvel, Minister of Commerce and Industry. Martine Carol was awarded Best French Actress by the cinema managers' referendum, for the film Nana.