Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu was a French sculptor🎨 in a modified Neoclassical tradition who was known for his use of allegory in his work.
Born in Le Mée-sur-Seine into modest circumstances, Chapu moved to Paris with his family and in 1847 entered the Petit École with the intention of studying drawing and becoming an interior decorator.
There his talents began to be recognized and he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts in 1849.
In 1850 he began working and studying with a well-known sculptor James Pradier🎨.
Following Pradier's death in 1852 Chapu began studying with another sculptor, Francisque Duret.
After coming in second in 1851, he won the Prix de Rome🎨 in 1855, then spent five years in Italy.
His statues Mercury of 1861 and Jeanne d'Arc of 1870 (in which she was represented as a peasant girl) were his first big successes, and led to many commissions thereafter.
He is also known for his medals, and led the French revival in the medal as an artistic form.
An Officer of the French Legion of Honor, Chapu died in Paris in 1891.
At least four full-scale reproductions of Jeanne d'Arc are on permanent display at universities in Virginia: in McConnell Library at Radford University in Radford, Virginia; beneath the rotunda in Ruffner Hall at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia; at James Madison University; and at the University of Mary Washington. | © Wikipedia
Henri Chapu | Mercure inventant le caducée | Musée-d'Orsay
Henri Chapu | Memorial to Gustave Flauberts🎨
Henri-Chapu | Oise château chantilly Jeanne-d'Arc | Sothebys
Henri Chapu | Oise château chantilly Jeanne d'Arc | Musée d'Orsay
Henri Chapu | Monument to George Gordon Byron | Athens
Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu (Le Mée, 29 settembre 1833 - Parigi, 21 aprile 1891) è stato uno scultore e medaglista Francese🎨, noto per l'uso dell'allegoria nelle sue opere.
Di umili origini, Chapu si trasferì a Parigi con la famiglia, entrando nel 1847 alla "Petit École" per studiare disegno e decoro.
Ammesso alla scuola delle Belle Arti nel 1849, l'anno seguente cominciò a lavorare e studiare con il noto scultore James Pradier🎨.
Dopo la morte di Pradier, avvenuta nel 1852, Chapu divenne allievo di un altro scultore, Francisque Duret.
La vincita del Grand Prix de Rome🎨 per la Scultura nel 1855 gli permise di trascorrere cinque anni in Italia.
Grande successo gli venne tributato dopo la creazione delle statue raffiguranti Mercurio (del 1861) e Giovanna d'Arco (1870); in quest'ultima opera la fanciulla è raffigurata come una contadina; una riproduzione in grande scala di Jeanne d'Arc è esposta alla Longwood University in Farmville (Virginia). | © Wikipedia
Henri Chapu | Statue de Jean Francois Millet🎨 | Jardin public, Cherbourg
Henri Chapu | Statue de Jean Francois Millet🎨 | Jardin public, Cherbourg (detail)
Henri Chapu | Statue de Jean Francois Millet🎨 | Jardin public, Cherbourg (detail)
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