Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Chapu, Henri (1833–1891), sculptor
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Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
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Description area
Dates of existence
29 September 1833 – 21 April 1891
History
French sculptor in a modified Neoclassical tradition who was known for his use of allegory in his work. In 1850 he began working and studying with a well-known sculptor James Pradier. Following Pradier's death in 1852 Chapu began studying with another sculptor, Francisque Duret. After coming in second in 1851, he won the Prix de Rome in 1855, then spent five years in Italy. His statues Mercury of 1861 and Jeanne d'Arc of 1870 (in which she was represented as a peasant girl) were his first big successes, and led to many commissions thereafter. He is also known for his medals, and led the French revival in the medal as an artistic form.