The theme of a man performing a handstand is unprecedented in sculpture. The sixteenth-century French sculptor, Barthélemy Prieur, brilliantly captured the balance of the posture in the angle of the legs, and the backwards, off-centre turn of the head.

Said to have been Sir Richard Wallace’s last purchase, he bought this statuette in 1888, two years before his death.

Read more about this object on our blog stories or view the full catalogue entry on our Search the Collection pages.