Antoine-Louis Barye

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is some particular dirt to some of the crevices, including to the horse's jaw. There is wear to the high points, notably to the horse's haunches. The tail is cast separately, and an original joint is slightly visible. There is an original plug to the underbelly. There are remnants of an old sticker to the side of the base. There are eight small original plugs visible at the base. The base is not quite even to the surface due to the struts to the underside. There are four drill holes to the struts, which probably originally connected the bronze to a base.
"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."

'Le Michel-Ange de la Ménagerie' was the tribute given to Barye by the celebrated French art critic Théophile Gautier. Considered the inventor and undisputed master of animalier sculpture, Barye created an exceptional oeuvre parallel to that of his friend, the Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix. The Cheval Turc is generally regarded as the model which most powerfully epitomes his unique sculptural vision. 

Infused as it is with the Romantic spirit of Barye's own age, the Cheval Turc also recalls the Antique equestrian group of Marcus Aurelius and the Renaissance precedent of Leonardo's drawings of a rearing horse, studies for a monument to Francesco Sforza which was never erected. The Cheval Turc triumphantly presents Barye's supreme grasp of anatomy and drama and as the author of the 1844 Besse catalogue wrote "...the only feeling that one can experience upon seeing it is a deep admiration both for one of nature's most noble creatures and the talent of its delineator."

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Barye. Catalogue raisonné des sculptures, Paris, 2000, no. pp. 265-266, A128