Panther licking its paw - Thierry Van Ryswyck (1911-1958)

Sculpture in bronze with a nuanced brownish green patina
cast by SUSSE

Belgian school
Parisian period
circa 1950
height 24,5 cm

Biography :
A pupil of the Antwerp Academy, Thierry van Ryswyck (1911-1958) trained as a sculptor and ceramist, regularly attending the Antwerp Zoo to observe the animals in their daily behavior. Among all the residents, the felines particularly attract his attention. The power of their muscles, the delicacy of their movement and the nuances of their fur never ceased to amaze him.

Determined to make himself known, he moved to Paris in 1935, where he met several animal sculptors and discovered the Jardin des Plantes with joy. However, unlike his friends Raymond de Meester or Albéric Collin, Van Ryswyck did not practice imitative sculpture, his very stylized way wants to be alive.