Sculptor - Antoine Louis Barye
Title - Aigle, Ailes Etendues FB
Sand Cast Bronze
F. Barbedienne Foundry
Circa 1865
9 7/8" height by 14" length
(25 cm by 35.5 cm)
This model of an Eagle was originally created to be part of the Grand Table Surround for the Duke of Orleans. Barye created at least 4 different variations of his Eagle sculpture. Most of them, with the exception of this one show the Eagle with a prey animal in its talons.
This majestic Eagle with its wings spread full out is considered to be his finest rendition of the subject. Eagles are the symbol of royalty and power and this large bronze would enhance any home or collection. The quality of this cast is superb. Every detail of the feathers on this magnificent bird is sharply rendered, even the talons have air spaces under them.
Ferdinand Barbedienne was one of Barye's most ardent supporters and the casts made by Barbedienne in his Paris foundry of Barye's bronzes are always superbly cast, detailed, and finished to standards as high as Barye's own. This Barbedienne Foundry cast is finished in a dark green and black patina.
The Barye Eagle is illustrated in the following books:
The Barye Bronzes by Stuart Pivar pg. 236
Bronzes of the 19th Century by Pierre Kjellberg, pg. 80.
La Griffe et la dent by the Louvre museum, pg. 91
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