A Barye exhibition at the Galerie Nicolas Bourriaud

18/1/26 - Art market - Paris - To commemorate the passing of one of his flagship artists a century and a half ago, the Parisian gallerist Nicolas Bourriaud pays tribute to Antoine-Louis Barye through a rich exhibition gathering numerous works intended for bronze edition. The gallery on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré is thus adorned with a vegetal decor, featuring hunting scenes and prey, wild beasts and exotic pachyderms, as well as historical and mythological figures, all carefully arranged on the walls and in the showcases of the venue (ill. 1 and 2).

1. View of the exhibition Antoine-Louis Barye. 1875–2025: The 150th Anniversary
Photo: Galerie Nicolas Bourriaud

See the image in its page

2. View of the exhibition Antoine-Louis Barye. 1875–2025: The 150th Anniversary
Photo: Galerie Nicolas Bourriaud

See the image in its page

All the pieces on display are the result of long and patient years of tireless pursuit by Nicolas Bourriaud. Having fallen into the “Barye pot” as a child and initiated by his father Jean-François Bourriaud — himself a dealer in 19th-century sculpture — the gallerist tracks down the sculptor’s works on the market and from private collections, in France as well as abroad, for the sculptor to whom he has devoted a true passion for over twenty-five years. It is this long experience with the artist that allows him to answer with confidence questions regarding the dating of the casts. Indeed, all the pieces offered here date from the artist’s lifetime. No posthumous casts, we are told. But how can one be certain? The question arises for both professionals and laypeople alike, as we witnessed during our visit. It all lies in the eye of the dealer, through whose hands so many pieces — good or bad — have passed, and for whom the qualities of patina, chiseling, and casting hold no secrets.

3. Antoine-Louis Barye (1795-1875)
Horse Surprised by a Lion, detail
Bronze – 40 x 39 x 13 cm
Galerie Nicolas…