Wolf Hunting with a Borzoi (Wolf Baiting)

Nikolai Ivanovich Liberikh (1828–1883)
Late 1880s
53.5 × 25 × 27 cm
Bronze, casting, embossing, patination
Foundry: "S. F. WOERFFEL", St. Petersburg

This dynamic bronze sculpture was created using photographic references of imperial huntsmen who posed seated on barrels in place of horses—a practical solution when live mounts were unavailable for studio sessions.

In 1865, Liberikh received a personal invitation from Emperor Alexander II to join the imperial court hunts. Inspired by these experiences, he produced a celebrated series of bronze sculptures dedicated to this aristocratic pastime.

Liberikh’s works were regularly exhibited at academic and international exhibitions and sold through the Society for the Encouragement of Arts. His sculptures were highly prized by contemporaries and frequently presented as gifts to high-ranking officials, military officers, and renowned performers.

The artist’s favorite subjects were figures from hunting scenes—hunters, horses, dogs, bears, hares, deer, and boars. Having meticulously studied the appearance and behavior of each animal species, Liberikh masterfully captured their postures, movements, and distinctive features, particularly the texture of fur and hide. His horses rival those of the famed equestrian sculptor Pyotr Klodt.

At first glance, the galloping rider in Wolf Hunting with a Borzoi appears as a single, fluid motion. Only upon closer inspection does one notice the abundance of exquisitely modeled details and the remarkably skillful rendering of volume throughout every element of the composition.