Style Other / Ref.12333

Hippolyte PEYROL (1856-1929), two statues of fighting dogs, composite stone, cira 1900

These two important garden statues depicting two identical threatening dogs were made around 1900 in composite stone by the French sculptor Hippolyte Peyrol (1856-1929). Born in Paris in 1856, he is the son of the art caster Hippolyte Peyrol and Juliette Bonheur, painter and little sister of the sculptor Isidore Bonheur (1863 – 1939) and the painter Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899). He studies with his uncle and Martial Thabart (1831-1905) and specializes in the animal sculpture before starting to exhibit in the Salon des Artistes Français in 1880. There, he wins an honorable mention in 1883 and 1886, then a second class medal in 1892 and a first class one in 1894. He also wins an honorable mention during the International Exhibition of 1889. When his aunt dies, he builds a monument to honor her in Fontainebleau with his uncle and brother of the deceased, Isidore Bonheur.

During the 19th century, the representation of dog is a very appreciated subject for the animal sculptors, especially hunting dogs, depicted resting or biting their prey. The animal representation fascinates the artists all along this century because it allows them to approach subjects through which they can express nature in its savage and sometimes violent way. Our sculptures are different from the rest of the production because they show the dogs threatening, ready to fight but not yet biting.
Thus, theses statues were very likely created to decorate the garden of a castle, as it is the case for many monumental stone sculptures depicting animals.