A 19th century bronze of an Irish wolfhound named 'Gelert' by Arthur Waagen (1833-1898)

Arthur Waagen was a German sculptor and animalier; a member of the 19th-century movement specializing in the realistic portrayal of animals. Celebrated in his time for his Orientalist cast bronze sculptures, the artist frequently depicted imagery associated with North African Muslim culture, sport hunting iconography, and historical or popular culture themes. He is best known for his depictions of dogs, often using related objects and other accompanying figures to create a context for his sculptures. One example is one of his most popular works, 'Kabyle au retour de la chasse' (1869), a sculpture featuring a Beber tribesman mounted on horseback and surrounded by hunting dogs, which the artist cast multiple times, one of which is now housed in the Dahesh Museum in New York.

Born in 1833 in East Prussia, Waagen traveled to France to pursue his artistic career and set up a studio along the Parisian street Cours-de-Vincennes. Waagen exhibited regularly at the Parisian Salons from 1869 to 1887, and died in 1898.