The Centaur
Back to all places
Standing in the heart of Paris, The Centaur is a sculpture by renowned artist César Baldaccini, unveiled in 1985.
César, who had a deep passion for horses, observed that the 20th century marked the first time humanity moved forward without them. In this era, cars and machines replaced animals. The centaur sculpture reflects this shift: its skin dissolves, exposing metal plates and gears underneath. The horse and man give way to the machine.
The artist likely intended to highlight how this replacement impacts humans as well. The metallic elements in the centaur’s human form and its rigid, mechanical posture suggest a similar transformation in ourselves.
Photo: Own photo
48.85194, 2.32958