Antoine Louis Barye (1796-1875) first worked in the field of metalwork as an apprentice to Fourrier, a prominent engraver of the time, later gaining further experience working in the jewellery trade. It was not until 1817 that he turned to sculpture, working in the studios of Bosio and Gros. He entered works in the Ecole des Beaux Arts competitions of 1819 and 1820, but soon afterwards returned to engraving, modelling only in his spare time. It was not until 1827 when Barye exhibited at the Salon for the first time, that he began to achieve real success. His work was noted for its boldness which was ascribed primarily to his own acute powers of observation, but it was also suggested that this was a direct reaction against the academic and conventional style of Bosio, in whose studio Barye had previously worked.