French sculpture of the 19th century stands in the shadow of painting. Alongside the dynamic development from David to Cézanne, it seems to stagnate largely before Rodin; only scattered individual occurrences brighten the picture. Antoine-Louis Barye (1795-1875), the only sculptor among the painters of Barbizon, who was friends with Daumier, Corot, and Delacroix, is generally regarded as a specialist in genre, a brilliant creator of small animal bronzes, and a leader of the animal sculptors of the 19th century. This image aims to correct the existing narrative. Literature has always pointed out Barye's monumental sculpture, highlighting the fact that he depicted not only animals but also humans. The question should now be posed differently: What do the animal sculptures actually signify? The examination of some major works explores the connections with natural science and zoology in the early 19th century. Natural science establishes a completely new artistic theme that soon calls into question the hierarchy of genres and thus the relationship between public and private sculpture. Barye's sculptures reject the ideology of the public monument and convey new content. It can also be shown that Barye is ultimately pushed into the genre by institutionalized artists, the Academy. Just as caricature becomes a "reservoir" for Daumier (under different conditions), the small-format animal bronze becomes a "reservoir" for Barye, where he can continue his work for years.