Roger and Angelica Mounted on the Hippogriff

This bronze depicts a scene from Orlando Furioso, a chivalric epic from the Italian Renaissance that inspired artists well into the 19th century. In it, Roger, a knight, rides a hippogriff to save Princess Angelica, who has been chained to a rock to be devoured by a sea monster. Antoine Louis Barye captured the moment the heroes take flight, leaving behind the defeated monster with waves lapping around it. This sculptural group formed part of a decorative ensemble for a fireplace mantel, which was commissioned around 1840 by Antoine, Duke of Montpensier, the youngest son of King Louis Philippe of France. The composition was recast frequently during and after Barye’s lifetime.