The Wild Kingdom of Art
by Rebecca A. G. Reynolds
Page 8
Since Greek and Roman antiquity, animals have been prominently depicted in European sculpture, with horses and equestrian figures an especially common and often monumental motif. In the early nineteenth century, Antoine-Louis Barye (1795 - 1875) inaugurated a particular genre of monumental animal sculpture. (For a more detailed discussion of Barye’s work and influence, see the article “Rise of the Modern Animaliers.”) Following Barye’s example, a long succession of artists dedicated themselves to sculpting animals, with most choosing bronze as their preferred material. This movement went international when Paris became the cultural mecca in the second half of the nineteenth century; foreign collectors purchased work by the French animaliers, and visiting artists who were so inclined adopted this genre and introduced it to a broader audience at home.
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