Rhinoceros
19th century
Before Antoine-Louis Barye could cast his famous bronze beasts, he had to capture their raw power on paper, and this sketch shows him doing exactly that with a sturdy rhinoceros. As a leading figure of French Romanticism, Barye was obsessed with the wild energy of animals, often visiting the menagerie at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris to study them up close. That little red 'BARYE' stamp in the corner acts like a studio seal, marking this as a genuine study from the master himself. It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how a sculptor planned his monumental works before bringing them to life in metal.
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