Zéphyrin Ferrez (or Zepherin Ferrez; 31 July 1797 – 22 July 1851) was a French sculptor and engraver who spent much of his career in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, Brazil.

Early years

Zepherin Ferrez was born in Saint-Laurent, France in 1797. In 1810 he began his training in printmaking and sculpture in Paris with

Philippe-Laurent Roland Philippe-Laurent Roland (13 August 1746 – 11 July 1816) was a French sculptor. A native of Pont-à-Marcq, Nord, he died in Paris. His art is neoclassical in style; he worked a great deal in stone and in terra cotta. Some of his reliefs may ...

(1746–1816) and Pierre-Nicolas Beauvallet (1750–1818).

Career

Zéphyrin Ferrez was a member of the ''

Missão Artística Francesa The French Artistic Mission in Brazil () was a group of French artists and architects that came to Rio de Janeiro, then the capital city of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves, in March 1816, under the auspices of the royal co ...

'' (French Artistic Mission) organized by

Joachim Lebreton Joachim Lebreton (1760–1819) was a French professor, public administrator and legislator. Biography Lebreton began his career as professor of Rhetoric at the Collège de Tulle. He was appointed administrator of Fine Arts of the Ministry of ...

which brought a group of artists to Brazil, arriving on 25 March 1816. These included his brother, the sculptor Marc Ferrez (1788–1850), the painter

Jean-Baptiste Debret Jean-Baptiste Debret (; 18 April 1768 – 28 June 1848) was a French Painting, painter, who produced many valuable lithographs depicting the people of Brazil. Debret won the second prize at the 1798 Salon de Paris, Salon des Beaux Arts. Biograph ...

(1768–1848), the sculptor Auguste Marie Taunay and his brother the painter Nicolas Antoine Taunay (1755–1830), the engraver

Charles-Simon Pradier Charles-Simon Pradier (25 May 1783 – 21 July 1847) was a Swiss engraver who also worked in France and Brazil. He was recognized as one of the leading engravers of his day. He collaborated with Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres on several works. Lif ...

(1786–1847) and the architect Auguste-Henri-Victor Grandjean de Montigny (1776–1850). They were to form the nucleus of a royal art academy in Brazil. The arrival of the French group caused some controversy among the local Portuguese intelligentsia, who were concerned at the excessive influence being given to the French in developing the cultural life of Brazil. In turn, the French were unhappy with political appointments such as the appointment of Henrique José da Silva as head of the school in place of Lebreton. This was the reason why Tauney's brother, Nicolas Antoine Taunay, returned to France. In 1817 Zéphyrin Ferrez worked with Auguste Marie Taunay, Debret and Grandjean de Montigny on decorating Rio de Janeiro for the festivities surrounding the arrival of the Princess

Maria Leopoldina of Austria Don (honorific), Dona Maria Leopoldina of Austria (22 January 1797 – 11 December 1826) was the first Empress of Brazil as the wife of Emperor Dom (title), Dom Pedro I of Brazil, Pedro I from 12 October 1822 until her death. She was ...

(1797–1826). Zéphyrin and Marc Ferrez sculpted and decorated the bassinet offered to

Pedro I of Brazil ''Don (honorific), Dom'' Pedro I (12 October 1798 – 24 September 1834), known in Brazil and in Portugal as "the Liberator" () or "the Soldier King" () in Portugal, was the founder and List of monarchs of Brazil, first ruler of the Empire of ...

(1798–1834) on the occasion of the birth of his first daughter, Princess

Maria da Glória Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial * 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, d ...

. Based on this work he was admitted to the artistic circle of the Imperial Academy of Beaux Arts. In 1820 he engraved the ''Senatus Fluminense'' medal in honor of the acclamation of King

John VI of Portugal '' Dom'' John VI (; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil ...

, who had been enthroned in 1818. That year he obtained a permanent position as professor on medal engraving at the Academy. In 1826 the brothers Ferrez made a set of bas-reliefs and clay sculptures for the facade of the Academy building. Zéphyrin Ferrez died in Rio de Janeiro in 1851. His son, Marc Ferrez (1843–1923), became a well-known photographer.

Work

Zéphyrin Ferrez undertook various works with his brother Marc Ferrez, including decorating the facade of the Academy building. This included the bas-reliefs of ''Phébé on her chair of light'' and the ''Genius of Art''. He sculpted the scrolls and Ionic capitals of the entrance to the Academy, now in the Botanical Garden. Ferroz was one of the first medal engravers in Brazil, and made various medals commemorating events in the country. As a sculptor he made two bronze busts of Pedro II, and a bronze statue of Pedro I. His students included Manuel de Lima, Chaves Pinheiro (1822–1884) and José da Silva Santos.

References

Citations Sources * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrez, Zephyrin 1797 births 1851 deaths 19th-century French sculptors French male sculptors French engravers 19th-century French male artists Missão Artística Francesa French expatriates in Brazil