The Call of the Forest or Belling Stag

It was a nocturnal visit to the Ardennes forest in 1899 that was the source of the inspiration for this sculpture by Jean-Marie GASPAR; originally modeled in plaster, it was cast in bronze in 1913 and has been gracing Astrid Square since 1936. Jean-Marie GASPAR was born in Arlon in 1861 and died in Brussels in 1931.  At the age of 18 he began working in the studio of sculptor Jef LAMBEAUX. He showed works in a number of exhibitions, including the Paris ‘Exposition Universelle’ (1889) where he was awarded an exposition medal for his work.