MICHEL BASSOMPIERRE
AT THE BEAUVAL ZOO
Fragiles Colosses
The Grand Master of animal sculpture, Michel BASSOMPIERRE, is exhibiting his masterful sculptures at the Beauval ZooParc to mark the park's 45th anniversary.
Following Yuan Meng, a dream come true, a bronze panda that has been welcoming visitors since last year, nine monumental works are on display at the park, from April 5 to November 12, 2025.
EXHIBITED WORKS
Le Mélèze n°2
L'Empereur
Le Dos Argenté n°7
Les Abeilles n°1
Le Campagnol
Les Saumons n°1
Le Miel n°5
Le Jeu n°3
La Banquise n°2
WHEN ART RAISES AWARENESS...
The exhibition is sponsored by Sabrina KRIEF, chimpanzee primatologist and Professor at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. By combining art and science, ZooParc de Beauval confirms its commitment to raising awareness of the need to preserve biodiversity.
A WORD FROM THE GODMOTHER
"Michel's imposing male gorillas, with their full forms, bear no trace of man's hand. The sculptor's bodies are polished, smooth and unadorned, and the artist has erased all traces of the fingers under which the gentle curves were born.
All that remains are postures and glances, proportions and emotions, so just right. With no trace of humans ... which is surely why Michel BASSOMPIERRE's animals are so peaceful and often joyful. In this universe, without blandness or softness, man eclipses himself, sensitive and humble, to make way for the animal and its elegance. If the harmony of Michel's studio radiated all the way to the forests of Africa, what a relief it would be to see the same quietude in the eyes of the great apes...".
Sabrina KRIEF
Sabrina KRIEF and Michel BASSOMPIERRE.
YUAN MENG, A DREAM COME TRUE
On March 22, 2024, ZooParc de Beauval inaugurated the bronze work Yuan Meng, the realization of a dream, commissioned from the artist in 2022.
This unique 2.50-metre-high sculpture pays tribute to Yuan Meng, the first baby panda born in France. Through this work of art, the ZooParc, which runs programs to preserve endangered species worldwide, aims to raise awareness among its 2 million annual visitors of the beauty and fragility of nature.
Both an emblem of the protection of endangered species and a symbol of Franco-Chinese friendship, this sculpture magnifies the panda, China's national treasure.
MICHEL BASSOMPIERRE, GRAND MASTER OF CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE
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Born in Paris in 1948 into a family combining artistic sensitivity and scientific rigor, Michel BASSOMPIERRE developed an early fascination for drawing and the animal world. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, he developed an immediately recognizable style, combining technical mastery and pure emotion.
His works, in bronze or marble, feature rounded animals - bears, gorillas, Asian elephants, pandas or horses - which he renders with remarkable gentleness and precision. Thanks to his rigorous knowledge of anatomy, he manages to capture the spirit of his subjects without the need for anecdotes. With him, his “animal brother” becomes a sovereign presence: peaceful, magnetic, majestic.
Represented by numerous galleries (New York, London, Valencia, Miami, Venice, Paris...), Michel BASSOMPIERRE has countless collectors worldwide. His monumental sculptures, grouped together under the title “Fragile Colossi”, true emblems of endangered species, have been exhibited in prestigious venues in France, Monaco, Belgium, La Mamounia in Morocco and New York.