“Standing Ostrich” by A Barye

Alfred Barye (1839–1882) was a French bronze sculptor associated with the celebrated Animalier tradition of 19th-century France. He was the son of the renowned sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye, whose influence shaped Alfred’s early training and artistic direction. Working primarily in bronze, Alfred specialised in finely modelled animal subjects including lions, tigers, horses, dogs, and hunting scenes.

Although often overshadowed by his father’s fame, Alfred developed a distinctive style characterised by lively movement and careful observation of animal anatomy. His sculptures were produced during the height of the popularity of animalier bronzes among collectors in the mid to late 19th century. To distinguish his work from that of his father, Alfred generally signed pieces “A. Barye”, “Alf. Barye” or “Barye”

French Bronze During the 19th Century a time when Paris was the centre of the art world, the French bronze sculptors and their foundries were creating work with remarkable precision and detail. Table-top and figurative bronzes became a popular feature of tasteful interior decor. Leading the demand of bronzes were foundries including: Barbedienne, Susse Freres, Peyrol and Siot-Decauville. The foundries became proficient at using both lost-wax and sand cast techniques to produce exceptional bronzes of outstanding quality.