James Pradier (1790-1852) Venus And Love In Bronze

James Practical and died in Bougival Yvelines on June 4, 1852, is a Franco-Swiss sculptor and painter. Appreciated during his lifetime, he was considered one of the greatest sculptors of his time, until his death under the Second Empire. His works have enjoyed great posterity. In the 19th century, several currents and styles coexist in the arts. It is also difficult to bring together works that are sometimes very different under the same label. Academic rules were still relevant at this time and many artists took up ancient subjects often inspired by mythology as well as a neo-classical aesthetic and used marble, a material referring to Antiquity. But, if some artists take up the exact characteristics, others allow themselves to be influenced by parallel movements. This is the case of Pradier who mixes in his works both an ancient art and an art inspired by nature3. Indeed, the latter, strongly marked by his time in Rome, was inspired throughout his life by themes inspired by mythology and ancient stories but with an emphasis on figures (the major theme of his work). He will represent his characters with ancient attributes and clothes. However, his works are also marked by different romantic undertones. He reveals the melancholy and the drama that make the link with the story of his heroes. Finally, the flesh of his characters, sensitive under the drapes, will always be marked by a strong naturalism and a certain sensualism. Pradier remains, like many in his time, an ambivalent artist. One of the best examples of his style remains the sculpture of Sapho, kept in Paris at the Musée d'Orsay. With her head lowered and the lyre abandoned, the poetess, victim of a loving refusal, contemplates suicide.