Dying Centaur

sculpture by Bourdelle

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The Dying Centaur is a sculpture created by the French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle in 1914. This work is noted for representing the defeat of paganism.1

Centaurs, in Greek mythology, were a race of beings that were part horse and part human, typically depicted as wild and lawless creatures. Bourdelle's sculpture captures a moment of defeat, symbolizing the end of an era or belief system. Bourdelle's style often featured exaggerated, rippling surfaces combined with simplified forms, drawing inspiration from Archaic Greek and Romanesque art, which brought new vigor to early 20th-century sculpture.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Antoine Bourdelle
…he created another masterpiece, the Dying Centaur, in which he represented the defeat of paganism. In his later career, Bourdelle became known for his majestic public monuments. Never able to escape completely the shadow of Rodin, Bourdelle became a famous teacher, turning his studio into the Académie de la Grande-Chaumière.
Read More
…he created another masterpiece, the Dying Centaur, in which he represented the defeat of paganism. In his later career, Bourdelle became known for his majestic public monuments. Never able to escape completely the shadow of Rodin, Bourdelle became a famous teacher, turning his studio into the Académie de la Grande-Chaumière.
Read More