Biography

French sculptor. Born in Paris. In 1875, traveled to Italy, where he was impressed by the sculptures of Michelangelo and Donatello. In 1880, his “The Age of Bronze” received a third-class medal at the Salon, and was purchased by the French state. In that same year, he was commissioned by the state to create doors for Musée des Arts Décoratifs. After his success at the 1889 Paris Exposition, he produced many monuments and master portraits. He established a world-wide reputation at his large-scale retrospective that was held at the 1900 Paris Exposition. He excelled in dynamic forms that derived from his keen observation, and in physical expressions that represented the inner feelings of the models.