.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
In his 1890 biography, Roger Ballu pronounces Thésée combattant le Minotaure, the earlier of Barye's two mythological works, as: "[...]une des oeuvres maîtresses du génie de Barye, et très réellement un des chefs-d'oeuvres de la statuaire française" (Ballu, 1890, p. 116). The ancient Greek myth tells how the young hero journeyed to the island of Crete, where, in the labyrinth, he slayed the half-man-half-bull beast, thereby saving the seven youths and seven virgins of Athens, its intended sacrificial victims.
Two basic variants of Thésée combattant le Minotaure exist, modifications to the base being the principal difference between the première version (see Poletti & Richarme, 2000, no. F31, p. 106) and this, the seconde. The modified second version first appears in Barye's 1857-8 catalogue. The modèle (see Christie's New York, 25 April 2003, lot 150) was acquired at the 1876 Atelier sale by Goupil and was subsequently edited with enduring success by Barbedienne.
Two basic variants of Thésée combattant le Minotaure exist, modifications to the base being the principal difference between the première version (see Poletti & Richarme, 2000, no. F31, p. 106) and this, the seconde. The modified second version first appears in Barye's 1857-8 catalogue. The modèle (see Christie's New York, 25 April 2003, lot 150) was acquired at the 1876 Atelier sale by Goupil and was subsequently edited with enduring success by Barbedienne.