ANTOINE-LOUIS BARYE | Thésée et le Minotaure (Theseus and the Minotaur)

Overall the condition of the bronze is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is a small lacuna in the Minotaur’s proper left horn. There is minor wear to the patina, where it has flaked slightly, such as down Theseus’ proper left leg and back. There is minor wear to the patina at the sword. The bronze is cast in sections and some stable original joints are slightly visible such as: around the feet in the base, and at Theseus’ proper right upper arm.
"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."

Ballu considered the present model 'one of Barye's most masterful works and certainly one of the masterpieces of French sculpture' (op. cit.).

The heroic struggle between man and half-beast forms an idealised image in Barye's bronze. The strictly archaic Greek Theseus, his hair stylised and linear and legs planted firmly apart, makes a composed combatant for the more romantically conceived Minotaur. This contrast subtly underlines the triumph of good over evil. At the same time, the exaggerated musculature and contorted interaction of the figures lend homoerotic undertones to the composition. Such an interpretation of the subject finds a precedent in Antonio Canova's daring Theseus and the Minotaur now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. A.5-1962). Barye based the figure of Theseus on a drawing by Henry Fuseli of an executioner which was taken in turn from a fresco of the Beheading of John the Baptist by Andrea del Sarto in the Monastero dello Scalzo, Florence. Further inspiration comes from a sheet of drawings of boxers by Géricault. 

RELATED LITERATURE
R. Ballu, L'Oeuvre de Barye, Paris, 1890, p. 91; G. Benge, Antoine-Louis Barye, Sculptor of Romantic Realism, Pennsylvania, 1984, pp. 116-118; M. Poletti and A. Richarme, Barye: Catalogue raisonné des sculptures, Paris, 2000, no. F31, pp. 106-107