Parakeet Seated on a Tree
model n.d., cast c. 1845/1874
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
overall: 20 × 13.65 × 10.16 cm (7 7/8 × 5 3/8 × 4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase)
Accession Number
2015.19.3871
Art Historical Context
Antoine-Louis Barye a pioneering French sculptor of the Romantic era (1796–1875), crafted *Parakeet Seated on a Tree* as a exquisite example of his animalier style—small-scale bronze sculptures celebrating the vitality of wildlife. Dated to an undated model and cast circa 1845–1874, this piece captures a parakeet perched alertly on a gnarled branch, its feathers ruffled and eyes keen, measuring just 20 × 13.65 × 10.16 cm. Barye's mastery shines in the lost-wax casting technique, which allowed for intricate detailing of texture, from the bird's delicate plumage to the bark's rough grain, often ...
About the Artist
Antoine-Louis Barye · 1795–1875
Antoine-Louis Barye (1795–1875) was born in Paris on September 24, the son of goldsmith Pierre Barye and Marguerite Barye. Following family tradition, he apprenticed as a goldsmith under his father and, around 1810, with Martin-Guillaume Biennais, goldsmith to Napoleon. After brief military service, Barye pursued sculpture, studying under François-Joseph Bosio in 1816 and painter Baron Antoine-Jea...