Antoine Durenne (1822-1895) was a founding member of the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (National Superior School of Decorative Arts). Attracted by the work of cast iron, he bought the Sommevoire foundry in 1857, twenty years after its establishment. He collaborated with artists like Bartholdi and Guimart and quickly reached a leading position in French art casting thanks to his indisputable technical qualities. Durenne helped cast iron achieve recognition and collected awards at the World Exposition in Paris in 1867 and 1900 and Vienna in 1873. Today, the reputation of the GHM metallurgical factory is still intact.