Henri Chapu Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu (29 September 1833 – 21 April 1891) was a French sculptor in a modified Neoclassical tradition who was known for his use of allegory in his work. Life and career Born in Le Mée-sur-Seine into modest circumstances, ...

(1833–1891) was a French sculptor. Chapu was born in

Le Mée-sur-Seine Le Mée-sur-Seine (, literally ''Le Mée on Seine'') is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France, next to Melun. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris from the center. Geogra ...

on 30 September 1833. He trained at the École Gratuite de Dessin as a tapestry maker. In 1849 his successes led him to the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...

, Paris, where he became a pupil of

James Pradier James Pradier (born Jean-Jacques Pradier, ; 23 May 1790 – 4 June 1852) was a Genevan-born French sculpture, sculptor best known for his work in the neoclassicism, neoclassical style. Life and work Born in Geneva (then Republic of Geneva), Prad ...

, François Duret and Léon Cogniet. In 1855 he won the Prix de Rome for sculpture with the relief "Cleobis and Biton". He completed his education at the Académie de France in Rome, remaining there until 1861. While there, he worked in the

Villa Médicis The Villa Medici () is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, ...

. During the period of the Second Empire and the Third Republic, Chapu worked on the sculptural decoration of many buildings and public monuments, including the decoration of the façade of the Au Printemps store, the

Théâtre de l'Opéra The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be k ...

, and the gardens of the Château de Chantilly. Many of Chapu's works take the form of médallions and he is credited with having led a new wave of interest in this medium. In 1867 Chapu was made a

chevalier of the Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

, in recognition of his works for the Éxposition Universelle of that year, and in 1880 he was elected to the Academie des Beaux-Arts. He died on 21 April 1891 and is buried in Mée-sur-Seine's cemetery.

Key

Works

Gallery

File:Dupanloup.jpg, The tomb of Dupanloup by Chapu in Orléans File:Buste Millet Cherbourg 2.jpg, View of Chapu/Bouteiller's monument to the painter Jean-François Millet File:Pluton by Henri Chapu.png, Pluto by Chapu. Executed in 1885, this marble statue was ordered by the Duke d'Aumale for the grounds of the Chateau de Chantilly. File:Père-Lachaise - Division 64 - Monument guerre 1870 01.jpg, Marine on Henri Chapu's monument to those soldiers killed during the siege of Paris 1870-1871. File:Père-Lachaise - Division 64 - Monument guerre 1870 02.jpg, Infantryman on Henri Chapu's monument to those soldiers killed during the siege of Paris 1870-1871. File:Père-Lachaise - Division 64 - Monument guerre 1870 03.jpg, National Guardsman on Henri Chapu's monument to those soldiers killed during the siege of Paris 1870-1871. File:Père-Lachaise - Division 64 - Monument guerre 1870 04.jpg, Artilleryman on Henri Chapu's monument to those soldiers killed during the siege of Paris 1870-1871.

External links

Fidière's biography " Chapu, sa vie et son oeuvre" published in Paris in 1894:
Fidière's biography of Chapu

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapu, Henri Chapu, Henri Chapu, Henri