Wolf

1672–74

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

This figure from Aesop’s "The Wolf and the Crane" fable is one of the surviving fountain sculptures from the Labyrinth. (Owing to the high maintenance costs, the Labyrinth suffered neglect over time and was demolished in 1775.) The anonymous author of a travel book of 1771 noted that he had "the pleasure of observing a child of four years old explain the figures which were perfectly adapted to his age and understanding."

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Wolf
Artist: Benoît Massou (French, Richelieu, Indre-et-Loire 1627–1684 Paris)
Date: 1672–74
Culture: French
Medium: Painted lead
Dimensions: 35 1/16 × 13 3/4 × 24 in., 330.7 lb. (89 × 35 × 61 cm, 150 kg)
Classification: Sculpture
Credit Line: Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon (MV 7181)
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts