Philippe Bertrand (1663–1724) was a French sculptor of the late 17th and early 18th century. He received commissions for sculptures for both the

Château de Marly The Château de Marly was a French royal residence located in what is now Marly-le-Roi, the commune on the northern edge of the royal park. This was situated west of the palace and garden complex at Versailles. Marly-le-Roi is the town that develo ...

and

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

. In November, 1701, he was made a full member of the Académie de peinture et de sculpture upon the display of a royal commission of 1700, his small bronze of the ''Rape of Helen'', a svelte composition of three figures with a debt to

Giambologna Giambologna (1529 – 13 August 1608), also known as Jean de Boulogne (French), Jehan Boulongne (Flemish) and Giovanni da Bologna (Italian), was the last significant Italian Renaissance sculptor, with a large workshop producing large and small ...

's '' Rape of a Sabine Woman''. He was known for sculpting flowing, graceful, and even flying figures, particularly in his bronzes. In 1714, when the choir of Notre-Dame was refurbished in academic Baroque manner, in Louis XIV's fulfillment of a vow made by Louis XIII, Bertrand was commissioned to provide a small allegorical bronze as the prize for a poetry competition on the occasion, organised by the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

to celebrate the completion of the project; it is conserved in the

Wallace Collection The Wallace Collection is a museum in London occupying Hertford House in Manchester Square, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It is named after Sir Richard Wallace, who built the extensive collection, along w ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Two further small collectors' bronzes by Bertrand are in the

Royal Collection The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...

, ''Psyche and Mercury'' and ''Prometheus Bound''; they are characteristic purchases of

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

.The Royal Collection: Philippe Bertrand

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bertrand, Philippe 1663 births 1724 deaths 17th-century French sculptors French male sculptors 18th-century French sculptors 18th-century French male artists