Jean-Antoine Houdon

Place: Versailles

Born: 1741

Death: 1828

Biography:

Jean-Antoine Houdon was a renowned French neoclassical sculptor born in Versailles in 1741. He is famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors, and political figures of the Enlightenment. Jean-Antoine Houdon is particularly known for his works depicting prominent figures such as Denis Diderot, Benjamin Franklin, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Molière, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Louis XVI, Robert Fulton, and Napoléon Bonaparte.

Early Life and Education

entered the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1752, where he studied with René-Michel Slodtz, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, and Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. From 1761 to 1764, he studied at the École royale des élèves protégés. Houdon won the Prix de Rome in 1761, which allowed him to further his studies in Italy.

Notable Works and Legacy

Some of Jean-Antoine Houdon's notable works include:

• Muscleman Sideview, a bronze sculpture depicting the human form in a neoclassical style, available on Wikioo.org.
• George Washington, a marble sculpture commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly, available on Wikioo.org.
• Denis Diderot, a terracotta sculpture depicting the French philosopher, available on Wikioo.org.

sculptures were used as models for the engravings used on various U.S. postage stamps of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which depict George Washington in profile.

Influence and Later Life

was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1804 and a Chevalier de l'Empire in 1809. He died in Paris on July 15, 1828, and was interred at the Montparnasse Cemetery. For more information about Jean-Antoine Houdon's life and works, visit his page on Wikioo.org or his Wikipedia page.