A keen eye turned toward animal life.

Prosper Lecourtier was a renowned French animalier sculptor, born in Grémilly in 1851 and active until his death in Paris in 1924. A student of the celebrated Emmanuel Frémiet (1824-1910), Lecourtier developed a deep passion for the animal world, which became the central focus of his artistic practice.

He began exhibiting at the Paris Salon in 1875 and would participate regularly throughout his career. He presented numerous bronze sculptures there, including Arabian Horse (1879), Pointer Dog (1886), and Lioness (1907). In 1914, he notably exhibited The Bear Dance, in plaster, and A Nivernais Ox, in Jeanneney sandstone. His early style, strongly influenced by Frémiet, focused on a naturalistic representation of animals.

Over time, however, Lecourtier developed a more personal style, characterized by dynamic movement and vivid expression, particularly evident in his hunting scenes featuring deer, stags, and hounds. While Frémiet succeeded Antoine-Louis Barye in 1892 as professor of animal drawing at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle of Paris, Lecourtier pursued his own path through smaller-scale works, remarkable for their technical precision and anatomical accuracy.

Lecourtier’s sculptures stand out for their expressive realism, capturing not only the physical presence but also the spirit of the animals he portrayed. His meticulous attention to form, texture, and composition secured his reputation as one of the leading animal sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, his works remain highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs of animalier art.

Literature :

• BENEZIT, E. Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et Gravures. Paris : Librairie Gründ, 1961. Tome 5. p. 469.

• KJELLBERG, P. Les Bronzes du XIXe Siècle, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs. Paris : Les éditions de l’amateur, 1989. p. 419-421.