Biography of Jean-Antoine Houdon
Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741 – 1828) – The famous French sculptor, spending his childhood in an artistic atmosphere of the school des eleves proteges, where his father was a porter, and 10 – 12 years, he began to practice leplenii. Soon he was to take students Aqd. painting and sculpture, and the age of 15 has already received an award the silver medal. In 1761, a sketch of the bas-relief: "Queen of Sheba", won big, Rome Prize, with the right of the seven-year stay in Italy at government expense. In Italy, played a model to study human musculature, attract the public attention and serve him etude for a statue of John the Baptist, and carved statues "La Vestale" and "Saint Bruno", the last piece, distinguished by natural simplicity and serenity of plastic, was a harbinger of the new direction in sculpture. Upon his return to Paris, Houdon, based on his works performed, was elected in 1769 in soprichislennye to acad. Painting and Sculpture, and in 1777, for a marble figure of morphine, was elevated to the rank of Academician. The first significant work of Houdon returned to France was a portrait bust of Diderot, attracted to the artist orders from the Duke of Saxe-Gotha and the Empress Catherine. For the first Houdon made several sculpted portraits of his family, for the Empress – her bust (1773), in addition, the Russian envoy at the French court, Bk. Golitsyn, commissioned the artist two tombstones for the princes of MD and AD Golitsyn (located at the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow). What he was available image gentle innocence and pure beauty, Houdon bust showed a young girl, known by the name. "La Petite Lise" (near the town Efrusi, in Paris). In the Paris Salon in 1777 the number of works by Houdon was equal to half of all the exhibited sculptures, and from that time to define its role as the leader of the French school of sculpture. Gudonovskie portraits of the royal family, tombstone gr. Enner and relief for the church of St. Genevieve belong to this epoch. In the following years, then executed two Houdon bust of Moliere, one of which is different ideality, and the other, on the contrary, realism, portrait of Rousseau, a striking resemblance to and characteristic expression. However, no product of Houdon's had such success in public, as celebrated by poets and art critics vaunted statue "Diana" (a marble copy to execute it. In 1780, is located in the Imperial Hermitage Museum, bronze, do it. In 1790 – a Louvre Museum in Paris). Of the many statues and busts of Voltaire, Houdon's work, especially remarkable depicting him sitting (in the foyer of the Theatre Francais in Paris, the repetition of the Imperial Hermitage). In 1785, Houdon took from the French government six months' leave and went to America in order to carve, commissioned by S. Am. Pcs., A statue of Washington. On his return to Paris, married Cecile Langlois. In 1792, Houdon was elected to Associate Professor. Aqd., then became a member of the National crust. Imp. Napoleon, who was patronized by Houdon, and ordered him to his statue, which was then flow either into the statue of Henry IV. The final product of Houdon's bust of the Emperor was. Alexander I, who appeared in the Paris Salon in 1814 Up to 1823 remain in office Houdon Prof. Royal Acad. Besides the above mentioned works, deserve to be mentioned the following works: "La fileuse" (1788), "L'ete" (1785), a statue of St. Scholastica (reworked in the "Philosophy"), busts of Prince Heinrich of Prussia, of Buffon, Franklin and many others. etc. Imperial. Hermitage, besides busts of Diderot, Voltaire and the statues of Diana and ferneyskogo philosopher, busts are stored D'Alembert and two young daughters of Prince. Golitsyn. Brought up in tastes and views of Louis XV, Houdon, however, soon joined the direction, set himself the task more strict and proper scrutiny of the ancient samples, and due to the significance of his talent, has reached self-sufficiency that made him the leader of the sculpture school in the era of Louis XVI. His plastic images were a complete expression of artistic ideals of this era and enjoyed enthusiastic acceptance by the public until David pseudoclassicism which changed direction Houdon. This change coincided with his return from America.Trying to adjust to the new demands of public taste, it lost its originality and fell into imitation.