Abandoned

Albert Laessle enjoyed working with animals so much that he eventually bought a studio in the country where he could keep his own. His subject matter was not always taken as seriously as that of other sculptors; even as an animal sculptor his choice of insects, lizards, frogs, and snails was uncommon among professional sculptors of his day. But it is precisely that uncommon element that makes Laessle's work special and continues to give it a unique, imaginative spark. Unlike some artists who chose to sculpt animals for their decorative value, Laessle chose them for their expressive potential. Some pieces, such as Abandoned, a bronze of a young wildcat, depict the suffering of a helpless animal in a particularly dramatic and sentimental way.