Rembrandt Bugatti produced in his career a number of extraordinary sculptures ranging from commonplace domestic animals to exotic creatures such as lions, leopards and Himalayan baboons, establishing himself as the preeminent animalier of the twentieth century. The sculptor worked primarily outdoors at the Jardin Zoologique in Antwerp, after moving to the city in 1907 so that he could study the nuances of animal behavior at one of the finest zoos in Europe (see fig. 1). These figures were rendered in plastiline, a typical Italian modelling clay, using strokes of his thumbs. Working with the Hébrard foundry with the aid of chief founder Albino Palazzolo they were then cast in bronze.

Deux grands léopards represents an important stage in Bugatti's stylistic development. Displaying naturalistic characterization and a dramatic modelled surface, the musculature of the underlying forms is conveyed in a strong, modern fashion. It shows, in many respects, the artist at the height of his powers. While having created some three hundred sculptures during his tragically short life, it is his depictions of big cats that are, for many, his greatest and most charismatic achievements. The piece is imbued with a powerful sense of presence and physicality; the considered and often impressionistic surfaces of many of his earlier works here giving way to a dynamic and confident aesthetic which highlights the underlying musculature of both animals. Bugatti here skilfully captures the essence and vitality of his subject, to create sculptures that give lasting testament to his mastery.

The romance and form of these large felines was not confined solely to Bugatti’s representations. Some thirty years prior, Henri Rousseau—an inspiration for the modernistes of the early twentieth century—delineated tail, claws and teeth amongst rain, lightening and jungle in Surprised!, while the young Blaue Reiter artist Franz Marc focused on the internal psychological power with bold blocks of color in Tiger, contemporaneous with the present work (see figs. 2 & 3). No other artist, however, captured these predators in sculpted form like Bugatti, whose work is set apart from other sculptors working at this time.

Edward Horswell provides the following analysis of Bugatti's representation of wild cats and his approach to the present work: “Often he returns to particular beasts, with whom he had developed a special fascination (the male here, identifiable by the kinked tail, recurs in other works). The artist's feline sculptures were among his most sought-after, and this example, whether cast singly or in a group, is among the most individual. Bugatti is especially interested in the tentative delicacy of the raised paw, which is nevertheless potentially deadly. The pinned-back ears may suggest the anticipation of confrontation or the leopard's consciousness of an animal behind him. The artist was supremely attuned to his subject's body language” (Edward Horswell, Rembrandt Bugatti: Life in Sculpture, London, 2004, p. 25).