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Raging Bull (Bull on the defensive)

Statuette
ca. 1841 (made), ca. 1890 (Cast)
Artist/Maker
Barbedienne, Ferdinand
Antoine-Louis Barye
Place of origin
France (made)
Paris (made)

Antoine Louis Barye (1795-1875) exhibited his first animal sculpture in the Paris Salon of 1831 when he was dubbed an 'Animalier', a maker of animals. Initially applied with derogatory overtones, this term became widely used for sculptors - of whom Barye was first and foremost - who specialised in this genre. He was referred to as the 'Michelangelo of the Menagerie' by the contemporaneous art critic Théophile Gautier.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Bronze
Animals and Wildlife
Object type
Statuette
TitleRaging Bull (Bull on the defensive)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Bronze
Brief description
Raging Bull (Bull on the defensive), Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875) and cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810-1892), France (Paris), first edition ca.1841, this cast ca. 1890
Physical description
Bronze figure of a raging bull
Dimensions
  • Width: 29cm
  • Depth: 12cm
  • Height: 19cm
Dimensions were taken by SCP on 05.11.14 for Bronze Zoo: A Sculptural Menagerie
Marks and inscriptions
BARYE signature cast through from the model. Stamped F.BARBEDIENNE Fondeur (Possibly throws date of 1840 into question as this foundry stamp starts being used from 1877. )
Translation
Founder
Transliteration
French
Object history
Purchased from the Barbedienne Foundry in 1890 for the V&A’s Circulation Department
Subject depicted
Bull
Summary
Antoine Louis Barye (1795-1875) exhibited his first animal sculpture in the Paris Salon of 1831 when he was dubbed an 'Animalier', a maker of animals. Initially applied with derogatory overtones, this term became widely used for sculptors - of whom Barye was first and foremost - who specialised in this genre. He was referred to as the 'Michelangelo of the Menagerie' by the contemporaneous art critic Théophile Gautier.
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1890. Arranged according to the dates of acquisition, with appendix and indices. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1891. pp. 19.
  • Poletti, M and Richarme, A. Barye. Catalogue raisonné des sculptures. Paris. 2000. cat. no. A177.
  • Horswell, J. Les Animaliers. 1971.
  • Johnston, William and Kelly, Simon. Untamed: The Art of Antoine-Louis Barye. 2006.
  • Reinis, J.G., The Founders and Editors of The Barye Bronzes. New York, 2007.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
111-1890

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Record createdNovember 3, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O171361/raging-bull-bull-on-the-statuette-barbedienne-ferdinand/
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