Germain Pilon

The Resurrection of Christ (detailed view), Louvre

Funerary monument to the heart of Henry II of France, Louvre.

Germain Pilon (* around 1537 in Paris ; † February 3, 1590 there ) was a French sculptor of the Renaissance .

life and work

Germain Pilon, tomb of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici (1583)

Pilon grew up in Paris, where he was trained by his father, the sculptor André Pilon, and probably by Pierre Bontemps . He developed into an expert in dealing with marble, bronze, wood and terracotta and made models for the Parisian goldsmiths from around 1555. From 1558 until his death he created numerous works for the French royal family. Many of his works are funerary monuments, including the monuments to King Francis I , Henry II and Catherine de Medici in the cathedral of Saint-Denis . His work for the royal family soon made Pilon a popular sculptor for the French aristocracy. His sculptures clearly show the influence of the Fontainebleau School as well as Michelangelo and Italian Mannerism . Pilon was considered the favorite sculptor of Catherine de Medici. Most of his works are now in the Louvre in Paris.

Works

Louvre

Grave monument for the heart of Henry II, marble, 1561–1562
Ornamental work for the Valois Chapel in Saint-Denis (begun 1562), including The Resurrection of Christ , marble, 1583–1585, and Pietà , terracotta, 1583–1585
Tomb of Valentine Balbiani, marble, 1572
Medallion of Catherine de Medici, bronze, 1575
Tomb of Cardinal René de Birague , bronze, after 1583
Christ in the olive grove, Saint Paul and Melchizedech , marble, around 1582

Elsewhere in Paris and the surrounding area

Pietà , marble, 1583–1585, St-Paul-St-Louis
Saint Francis in Ecstasy , marble, 1583–1585, St-Jean-St-François
Mascaron at the Pont Neuf
Various in the Musée national de la Renaissance in the Castle of Écouen

Great Britain

Bust of King Charles IX. , Bronze, around 1574, Wallace Collection , London

literature

Jean Babelon: Germain Pilon. Les Beaux-Arts, Edition d'études et de documents, collection "L'Art français", 1927.
Geneviève Bresc-Bautier (ed.): Germain Pilon et les sculpteurs français de la Renaissance, Actes du colloque organisé par le Service culturel du musée du Louvre les 26 and 27 octobre 1990, éd. la Documentation française, Paris, 1993.

Web links

Commons : Germain Pilon - collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Pilon, Germain
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	French sculptor
DATE OF BIRTH	around 1537
PLACE OF BIRTH	Paris
DATE OF DEATH	February 3, 1590
Place of death	Paris