Bonheur’s tour de force was his keen observation of animals. His portrayal of them was not anthropomorphized but modelled to catch their innate movements and postures. Here in Loin & Mouse, the contrast between the voluminous lion and the diminutive mouse is captured in a David and Goliath archetype encounter. The strength of the lion, his paw lightly touching the pint-sized mouse, is unmistakable. Although, what we encounter here is the juxtaposition of strength and the ability not to take advantage of such a timid creature. Most depictions in the history of sculpture is of the feared and regal Lion. Thus, this is an endearing model and capture’s one’s attention all the more. Bonheur’s modeling is always natural and at ease and this is evident in this piece as well as the way he models the mane of the Lion which has movement and lovely detail to it.
While these casts are not numbered, Peyrol was a high quality foundry and there did not seem to be high numbers of casts of this work which rarely appears in the market.
The name Isidore-Jules Bonheur is synonymous with the great animalier school of sculptors of the late 19th century, alongside Antoine-Louis Bayre and Pierre-Jules Mene. His elder sister, Rosa (1822-1899), was equally well-known, both for her bronzes as well as her paintings, notably The Horse Fair in the Metropolitan Museum, NY. Of Great significance to their sculpture careers, their younger sister, Juliette (1830-1891), married the bronze founder Hippolyte Peyrol. Peyrol was a master caster and his foundry in Paris is rightly considered one of the finest of the period. He cast the best works by both Isidore and Rosa and these always beat the tiny PEYROL stamp, as can be found on the present work. Hippolyte and Juliette’s son, François-Auguste-Hippolyte Peyrol, became a painter and studied under both his uncle and his aunt. When Rosa died in 1899, it was he, along with Isidore, who collaborated on the Monument au Rosa Bonheur in Fountainebleu.