, one of the most celebrated sculptors that France has produced, was
, one of the most celebrated
sculptors that France has produced, was born at Paris in
1714, the son of a joiner, and by his talents became not
only sculptor to the king, but chancellor of the academy
of painting, and knight of the order of St. Michael. He
did not manifest any early disposition for designing; he
loved to model, but set about it awkwardly, and finished
nothing but by means of indefatigable labour. A visit to
Italy gave him that facility which he could not acquire at
home. He there studied the works of the great artists,
and returned thoroughly inspired with their genius. He
died at Paris, Aug. 20, 1785. His most known works are,
1. “A Mercury and a Venus,
” which he made by order of
Louis XV. and which were presented to the king of Prussia. The king, who was delighted with them, was desirous
to see the sculptor; and Pigalle, some time after, went to
Berlin, but, being announced as the author of the Mercure
de France, could not obtain an audience. When Frederic
understood the mistake, he was very anxious to repair it;
but Pigalle was already gone in some digust. Pigalle
maintained that none of the heads of Frederic did justice
to his physiognomy, which, in point of spirit, was the finest
he had ever seen; and much regretted that he had not
been allowed to model it. 2. The monument of marechal
Saxe, in which the beauty of the whole obliterates all objections to the parts. 3. The pedestrian statue of Louis
*XV. executed in bronze for the city of Rheims. 4. The
statue of Voltaire. 5. A little boy holding a cage. '6. A
girl taking a thorn from her foot. 7. Several busts of men
of letters who were his friends. If Pigaile cannot be
ranked among the men of the first genius in his art, the
good sense of his designs, and the soundness of his taste,
afford him a place in the very next class.