Yevgeny Alexandrovich Lanceray was a Realist sculptor, who created many bronze figurines in the history and animalier genres. He was born in 1848. He traveled extensively through the middle and southern parts of Russia, Ukraine and the Caucasus, as well as Bashkiria, Kyrgyzstan and Crimea.
The museum’s collection presents two of his works — “Circassian on Horseback” (1880, the Felix Chopin factory) and “Azhurnaya Horse” (1893–1902, the Karl Berthaud factory).
Yevgeny Lanceray did not have his own foundry. For a long time, he collaborated with Felix Chopin, contributing greatly to the fame of his factory. In the late 1870s, Chopin acquired from Lanceray the exclusive right to cast 17 models, which had previously been displayed at exhibitions of Russian industry, painting and sculpture. In 1888, Felix Chopin moved to France, leaving all his businesses to his compatriot Charles (or Karl) Berthaud. The stamps on the products featured the names of the factory owners alongside the sculptor’s signature.
In 1883, Yevgeny Lanceray visited Algeria.
His sculpture named “Azhurnaya Horse” is a vivid example of blending different types of art: portrait, genre and animalier.
A young Arab man leads a horse by the reins. The horse is the main character in this genre composition. Being a keen animalier sculptor and having deep knowledge of horses, Lanceray managed to sculpt the animal most accurately. The sculptor went as far as to find out the nickname of this horse, which indicates his sincere admiration for the animal.
The male figure is ethnographically and physically accurate. The man is dressed in pants, a short sleeve shirt without a collar and an unbuttoned vest; there is also a dagger attached behind a wide belt. He is wearing a fez cap with a tassel and babouche shoes.
The sculpture “Azhurnaya Horse” is distinguished by the clear silhouette and the thorough arrangement of bronze masses. The composition is comprehensible and rhythmically balanced.
Lanceray’s interest in horses was so keen that he dedicated many compositions to them and became a renowned animalier sculptor.
