Charles Valton (Pau, 1851 - Chinon, 1918), born in Pau in the Pyrenees, but he moved to Paris at a young age. There he regularly visited the famous Jardin des Plantes in Paris, in addition to being a botanical garden, it was also a zoo. Many animaliers (artists who only depict animals in their work) worked there, the animals were a popular object of study and often the subject of their sculptures or paintings.

Charles Valton was a student of the famous Antoine-Louis Barye and Emmanuel Frémiet at the Académie des Beaux Arts. He learned from them the value of the detail, the sensitivity and the representation of an animal in a natural way.

He exhibited at the Paris Salons from 1868 - 1914. He was awarded seven medals. His work also won a gold medal at the World Exhibition of 1889 and 1900.
Valton specialized in animal sculptures from 1880, he was an animalier pur sang.
For him it was important to capture the essence of the animal, the strength, with the accompanying emotion and the pure forms.
In 1883 he was appointed Professor of Sculpture at the Germain Pilon Académie in Paris.

Valton's oeuvre includes more than 70 animal sculptures, he worked in very small editions. He usually portrayed the larger animals as predators, especially the felines were popular, but deer, elephants, bears and dogs are also part of his oeuvre.

His work can be seen in various museums, including the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.