Turkish Horse (Left Leg Raised) (Translation)
Cheval Turc (Primary Title)
Antoine-Louis Barye, French, 1796 - 1875 (Artist)
Turkish Horse perfectly demonstrates Barye’s knowledge of equine anatomy, which he likely gained from dissections carried out by artists alongside scientists and for which the art critic Théophile Gautier famously dubbed him “Michelangelo of the menagerie.” In the sculpture, Barye balances his interest in Orientalist subjects—here, the Turkish horse—with a pose derived from equestrian statues from Western classical antiquity.
Stamped on base BARYE
Gift of Mrs. Nelson L. St. Clair, Jr. in celebration of VMFA's 75th anniversary.
2021: Romantic Bronzes
The Mrs. Nelson L. St. Clair, Jr. Donation of Sculptures by Antoine-Louis Barye, VMFA , April 24, 2021 -
2016: "The French Horse from Géricault to Picasso: Works from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", The National Sporting Library & Museum, May 6 - July 31, 2016
"The French Horse from Géricault to Picasso: Works from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", University of Richmond, March 3 - April 25, 2016
The Mrs. Nelson L. St. Clair, Jr. Donation of Sculptures by Antoine-Louis Barye, VMFA , April 24, 2021 -
2016: "The French Horse from Géricault to Picasso: Works from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", The National Sporting Library & Museum, May 6 - July 31, 2016
"The French Horse from Géricault to Picasso: Works from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts", University of Richmond, March 3 - April 25, 2016
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.