This massive imitation of Barye's Lion and Serpent is an impressive piece to behold. Every stroke, marking and creative gesture is magnified to examine from all angles.
The "Lion & Serpent" was placed in front of the Tuileries palace. This sparked Barye's early career and propelled animalier sculpture to new important status. Barye modelled 3 differnt versions of this particular sculpture and casted them in many sizes.
Barye has the uncanny technique of displaying the realistic violence of animal group attacks. The mass of admirable works left by Barye entitles him to be regarded as one of the great animal life artists of the French school, and the refiner of a class of art which has attracted such men as Emmanuel Frémiet, Peter, Cain, and Gardet.
