Antoine-Louis Barye

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good. There is some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is some scratching to the proper left knee and calf of Theseus. A joint is slightly visible at Theseus' neck.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Barye's Theseus and the Centaur depicts a moment in the battle between the Lapiths of Thessaly and the centaurs of Arcadia when Theseaus saves Hippodamia, daughter of the king of the Lapiths, from a centaur by violently slaying him.

After a fourteen year lacuna, Barye exhibited his large plaster Theseus and the Centaur at the Paris Salon of 1850 to great acclaim.  Théophile Gauthier wrote in response to viewing the work that it "showed that this Romantic who had been banned by the [Salon] jury was the modern sculptor who comes closest to Phidias and Greek sculpture."

This bronze, cast by Barbedienne, displays an attractive modulated brown-green patina. According to Poletti and Richarme the foundry inscription dates to circa 1900. The cast derives from a model which differs from the original plaster in that the base is higher and includes foliage, and the raised foreleg of the centaur contracts more severely. Barye most likely modelled this version prior to the Salon one, around 1847. He later exhibited a bronze of the model at the 1862 International Exhibition in London, which he offered for sale through Barbedienne.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Barye. Catalogue raisonné des sculptures, Paris, 2000, pp. 109-10, no. F34