Francois Girardon (1628-1715)

The French classical sculptor, Francois Girardon worked primarily for King Louis XIV at Versailles. Although he is one of France's most renowned Baroque sculptors, his restrained form of expression helped create the French classical style, which was emulated throughout Europe, and which acted as a precursor of the later neoclassical art.

More "academic" and classical than Antoine Coysevox (1640-1720), his main rival at court, and immeasurably more "conventional" than the individualist Pierre Puget (1620-94), Girardon's most famous works of Baroque sculpture include Apollo Tended by the Nymphs (1666-75, Apollo Grotto, Versailles) and The Rape of Proserpine (1677-99, Palace of Versailles). They can be seen in some of the best art museums around the world.

Apollo tended by Nymphs (1666-75)
Apollo Grotto, Palace of Versailles.

Biography

Girardon was born at Troyes, in the Champagne region of France. He studied the art of sculpture under a local master joiner and wood carver, and later in the studio of Francois Anguier (1604-69) in Paris, a specialist in funerary statues. Anguier's influence can be seen in Girardon's later work Monument of Richelieu (1675-94, Church of Sorbonne, Paris). The dying cardinal, lying on his sarcophagus and is held up by a religious figure and mourned by Science. The figures are finely carved from marble, expressive and their drapery is highly realistic. Girardon also created the Tomb of Louvois, the King's librarian (1656, St Nicolas du Chardonneret). According to documentation, Girardon then went on to study the antiquities of Rome.

MEDIEVAL SCULPTURE
For details of the plastic arts during
the Middle Ages, see these resources:
Medieval Sculpture (c.400-1000)
From Late Antiquity to Romanesque
Romanesque Sculpture (1000-1200)
Rounded-arch Architecture/Sculpture
Gothic Sculpture (1150-1280)
Cathedral Art, Ile de France.
Renaissance Sculptors
From Italy, France & Spain.

BEST SCULPTORS
For a list of the world's most
talented 3-D artists, see:
Greatest Sculptors.

BEST WORKS OF SCULPTURE
For a list of the world's top 100
3-D artworks, by the best sculptors
in the history of art, see:
Greatest Sculptures Ever.

SCULPTURE (1600-1850)
French Baroque Artists
Bernini (1598-1680)
Juan Martines Montanes (1568-1649)
Francois Duquesnoy (1597-1643)
Alessandro Algardi (1598-1654)
Alonzo Cano (Granada, 1601-1667)
Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721)
Balthasar Permoser (1651-1732)
Andreas Schluter (1664-1714)
Guillaume Coustou (1677-1746)

EVOLUTION OF SCULPTURE
For details of the origins and
development of the plastic arts
see: History of Sculpture.

Versailles: Apollo Tended By the Nymphs

Returning to France in 1652, Girardon befriended the Royal court painter Charles Le Brun (1619-90). Le Brun, a French painter and art theorist was one of the dominant artists in 17th century France. Le Brun was able to help his friend receive several commissions from the court. The first and perhaps most important of these was the marble group sculpture Apollo Tended by Nymphs (1666-75, Palace of Versailles). This work took several years to complete and depicts the Apollo and his ladies of court. The seven figures have clear classical Renaissance influences, and the additional three nymphs were added at the back later by Thomas Renaudin (1627-1706). It is perhaps one of the most quintessentially classical works of 17th century French sculpture.

EVOLUTION OF SCULPTURE
For details of the origins and
development of the plastic arts
see: History of Sculpture.

Versailles: Rape of Proserpine (Persephone)

In 1699 Girardon completed a bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV, which was erected in Paris on the Place Louis le Grand. The statue was melted down during the revolution but a small scale bronze version exists in the Louvre Museum. Girardon's next important masterpiece was his Rape of Proserpine (1699, Palace of Versailles). The group sculpture depicts Persephone, the daughter of the Goddess Ceres being raped by Pluto, King of the Underworld who had been struck by Cupid's arrow. The wildness and illusionism of Bernini's version of the identical subject has been magically neutralized in Girardon's work. Instead of encroaching on our space, the action of the group appears to be contained within a framework of graceful curves. The free standing group was only meant to be viewed from the front, Girardon has concentrated everything on this view, to the extent that he has almost designed a statue in high-relief. Another surviving work from this period includes the marble bas-relief of an Allegorical Figure (1672-75, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Note About Sculpture Appreciation
To learn how to judge artists like the French Baroque sculptor Francois Girardon, see: How to Appreciate Sculpture. For later works, please see: How to Appreciate Modern Sculpture.

Honours and Legacy

As an indication of growing respect, Girardon was made a member of the Academie Francaise, Professor in 1659, Adjoint in 1674 and finally Chancellor in 1695. On the death of Le Brun, he was appointed Inspector General of Sculpture, a position of power and profit. Girardon died in 1715 - on the same day as Louis XIV. His native town of Troyes has a museum dedicated to his works, and includes some of his marble portrait busts including those of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa.

Francois Girardon wasn't the greatest sculptor to work for King Louis XIV, but he personifies the style of the Le Brun period from about 1652 to 1683, when the fall of Colbert heralded a more baroque phase in French sculpture.

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