The Parisian artist, Antoine-Louis Barye, was a noted master of metal work and acclaimed for his artistry in sculpting both naturalistic and stylized animals.

 

Barye honed skills in metalwork in his early years by assisting his father who was a goldsmith. Later, he studied with the official goldsmith to Emperor Napoleon, Francois-Joseph Bosio. Barye continued his studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts.

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In 1831, Barye debut as a sculptor but struggled financially due to his inexperience as a businessman. He eventually won commissions from the French aristocracy and royal family.

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Due to his skill in sculpting animal figures, Barye was commissioned to head up the department of plaster casting for the Musee du Louvre Museum as well as serving as the Master of Animal Drawing at the Museum d'Historie du Naturelle. Among his students was a young Auguste Rodin.