Writing about Paolozzi's use of plaster Robin Spencer has explained that:

"With regard to the small plasters, some are from 'ready-mades' (including boxed model kits, objects found in charity shops etc); others are cast from his own designs."

"The plasters from the 1990s were not often cast in any other material. A lot of the animals were made specially for the 'Arche Noah' exhibition in Munich in 1990."

"He was very keen that the medium of plaster should have a higher status as a sculptural medium than it had previously enjoyed in the 20th century. He took a particular interest in this question after Albert Elsen's 'Rodin Rediscovered' exhibition (1981) which re-valued Rodin's practice with plaster."

This work will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonee of the Sculptures of Eduardo Paolozzi being prepared by Robin Spencer.

We are grateful to Robin Spencer for his assistance in cataloguing this work.