Antoine Louis Barye (1795-1875) The Walking Tiger

The Walking Tiger

Brown patinated bronze
Signed BARYE in hollow on the terrace
Barbedian cast iron, late 19th century
Carries the number 37 under the terrace

Dimensions: H. 21.5 x W. 42 x P. 10 cm (H. 8.46 x W. 16.54 x D. 3.94 in.)

Antoine Louis Barye was born in Paris in 1795.
He is one of the great masters of romantic sculptures which also included David d'Angers and de Rude.
The theme that dominates most of his artworks is animal sculptures.
He is the first and remains the most famous animal sculptor of the nineteenth century.
He is the son of Pierre Barye, a goldsmith from Lyon who moved to Paris after the turmoil of 1793.

At fourteen years old he became an apprentice at Fourier. Fourier was a metal engraver who supplied military clothing accessories and worked for the famous goldsmith Biennais.
In 1816, he worked at the workshop of sculptor Bosio, and then in 1817 he worked at the workshop of the painter Gros. However, in 1818 he attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. From 1823 to 1831 he collaborated with Fauconnier who allowed him to become familiar with the trade of carving and casting metal which he practiced later on his own account.

Barye studied nature and the animals themselves. He was especially intrigued by the wild beasts whose power and contained form captivated him.

Following his death in 1875, most of his plasters and models were purchased by Ferdinand Barbedienne, the famous metallurgist and best foundryman of the time. Barbedienne continued casting bronzes from Barye's original models until after the turn of the century. All of these casts are marked F. Barbedienne. The casts were done with extreme attention to detail and carried on Barye's keen interest in multicolored patinas. Today, most of Barye's plasters and models are owned by the Louvre.

Museums:
Paris, Musée du Louvre ; Musée d’Orsay ; Petit Palais et Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Bibliography:
Barye, Catalogue raisonné des sculptures, M. Poletti & A. Richarme, édition Gallimard, 2000.
Pierre Kjellberg « Les Bronzes du XIXème siècle, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs », Les Editions de l’Amateur.