Antoine-Louis BARYE (1796-1875) - Lot 166

Lot n° 166
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Estimation :
13000 - 15000 EUR
Antoine-Louis BARYE (1796-1875) - Lot 166
Antoine-Louis BARYE (1796-1875) Purebred Arabian Horse Sculpture in bronze with a richly shaded brown-green patina, Genuine proof signed "Barye" on the terrace, New model from the last catalog of 1874, Only one period proof has been identified (in the Louvre Museum), Posthumous edition of a few copies, including this one. Circa 1910. 28.5 x 28 x 7.5 cm Like most Romantic artists, Barye was interested in depicting horses in action, particularly when he was commissioned to create groups for the Duc d'Orléans' table settings, in which the animal is shown in various positions. To this end, he frequented horse markets, princely stud farms and circuses where the great equestrians of the day gave performances. It was around 1840 that he created a single horse that was to enjoy great success, the Cheval turc, a small Arabian horse that had become fashionable in all French stables since Napoleon 1st had made it his favorite mount with Le Vizir and Marengo. Every important person owned at least one, so it was easy to study them. The Arabian horse is small (1.40 to 1.60 m at the withers), obedient and therefore easy to train, hardy and therefore perfect for the military, hardy and intelligent. It wasn't until the 19th century that the breed began to spread in France, thanks to Napoleon I, who brought some from Arabia to crossbreed them with European horses to improve their performance. During the Restoration and up to the Second Empire, this elegant, racy horse impressed painters and sculptors, who produced numerous representations. The Arabian thoroughbred, as depicted by Barye, is not like its predecessor, the Cheval Turc, depicted in the semi-wild state typical of the Romantic period. This is a portrait of a horse, probably captured at stud. He embodies the canon of his breed. To create it, Barye drew up a sketch in which every part of the animal is measured to the nearest centimeter. Curiously enough, this model, probably created around 1850, and perhaps the portrait of a princely horse, was only offered for publication in the artist's last catalog, which explains its great rarity in antique cast iron. Acquired by A. Delafontaine at the Barye sale (cat. N°507), it was not a great success at the time either.
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