Paul Dubois

PAUL DUBOIS. (France, 1829–1905)
“Le Courage Militaire.”
Bronze.
Bears the stamp of the F. Barbedienne foundry.
Signed
Measurements: 90 x 36 x 40 cm.

A French sculptor and painter active during the second half of the 19th century and the grandnephew of the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, Paul Dubois studied law at his family’s insistence and later trained as an artist at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and in Armand Toussaint’s studio. He eventually continued his studies in Rome. In 1860, he participated for the first time in the Paris Salon, and three years later he was awarded a prize for his statues of “St. John the Baptist” and “Narcissus at the Bath.” Upon his return to Paris, his successes continued, and in 1865 he won the Medal of Honor at the 1865 Salon for his “15th-Century Florentine Singer.” He subsequently began receiving commissions from prominent figures of the time, such as the equestrian sculpture of Anne de Montmorency for the Duke of Aumale, located at the entrance to the Château de Chantilly. Today, his masterpiece is considered to be the cenotaph of General Lamoricière in Nantes Cathedral, adorned with four magnificent bronze statues inspired by Michelangelo’s Medici Tomb, representing Charity, Wisdom, Faith, and Military Valor. Also noteworthy among his works is his “Monument to Joan of Arc” from 1896. Due to his Italian-influenced style, he was considered a member of the group of sculptors known as the “Florentines,” followers of the Italian artists of the Quattrocento. His successes continued, as he received medals of honor at the Paris Salon in 1865 and 1876, and in 1873 he was appointed curator of the Luxembourg Museum. A few years later, in 1878, he succeeded Guillaume as director of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. Dubois counted among his students prominent young sculptors, including Rodin, Camille Claudel, and Fabio Stecchi. His works are currently held at the Musée d’Orsay, the Petit Palais, and the Musée de la Vie Romantique in Paris, the Musée Fabre in Montpellier, and in other public and private collections.