In 1831 Bayre evoked a sensation in the Paris Salon with his sculpture “Tiger Attacking a Crocodile”. He introduced the dramatic and veristic scenes of this kind in the sculptural art of the 19th century. The only parallel driven to his art can be proposed by paintings of Eugène Delacroix. He didn’t see animals as the allegoristic symbols, but presented them in different classes and their individual character.

Extensive studies in Jardin de Plantes and in the Museum of Natural History in Paris enabled him to acquire concise knowledge of nature. He managed to bring plastics from the academic classicism to modern styles.

The son of a gold-smith was born on September 24, 1795 in Paris and got his first education from his father. Then he continued his studies as a steel engraver and completed them in the studio of the architect Bosio and the painter Gross. In 1818 Barye was accepted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (The School of Fine Arts). When he was rejected from the Paris Salon in 1837, he founded a handicraft company together with a companion where the models for the famous Parisian bronze appeared.

In the same way he got government contracts thanks to a patron and his art got the general recognition in 1848. He became the professor of zoology drawing in the Museum of Natural History and in 1868 a member of the Academie des Beaux-Arts.

Also a painter and a drawer Antoine-Louis Bayre reached special achievements in landscape watercolors. He died on June 25, 1875 and belongs to the artists of the 19th century, which released the art from the historical, mythological and literary chains.

An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.

Bronze casting:

When casting bronze, artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. It's the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.

Sculpture "The Book Reader" by Ernst Barlachs is shown here as an example:

First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber composition. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is poured in the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax casting is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, and the wax flows out (lost mould).

Now we finally have the negative form, into which the 1400 ° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken off and the sculpture comes to light.

Now the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist himself or, to his specifications, by a specialist. Thus, each casting becomes an original work

For lower-grade bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used which, however, does not achieve the results of more complex lost wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.

Related links:
Sand casting