Jules Blanchard

Jules Blanchard (born May 25, 1832 in Puiseaux , † May 2, 1916 in Paris ) was a French sculptor.

Life

He was the youngest of three sons of parents Jean-Aimé and Marie Blanchard, grocers in Puiseaux.

The young Jules Blanchard was a student at the Lesesne Institute in Puiseaux. There he showed his talent for drawing and modeling. After finishing school, he joined the Atelier Jouffroy in Paris as an apprentice. Soon he was winning certificates and medals in sculpture .

On April 29, 1861, he married Marie Foyatier in Paris, the daughter of the sculptor Denis Foyatier , whose famous equestrian statue of Joan of Arc stands in Orléans . The couple lived in Paris and had three daughters and a son, who died at the age of a few months.

During their stays in Puiseaux, the Blanchard family lived in the house of his grandmother, the widow Trotin. This house is still in rue Blanchard today . Jules Blanchard was very fond of his birthplace and looked after his vineyard, which he inherited from his parents along with around 35 hectares of land.

Jules Blanchard died in Paris on May 2, 1916 and rests in the Puiseaux cemetery.

Awards

• 1881: Knight of the Legion of Honor

Works

La bocca della verità

The science

Jules Blanchard left behind numerous works of art made of stone or bronze . They were based on plaster of paris, which he later copied or used as a casting mold. He specialized in allegorical and mythological subjects.

In Puiseaux

• The Devilliers medallion depicting the then mayor of Puiseaux. Today: Town Hall of Puiseaux.
• The resurrection of the son of the widow of "Naim" . It is a marble "bas-relief", the sculptor's first important work. Today: Above the gate of the Puiseaux cemetery chapel.
• The plaster of paris cross . Today: Damaged on the hands in the Notre-Dame church, Puiseaux.
• The keystones of the market hall in Puiseaux made of limestone. They represent forest gods.
• The Adoration of the 3 Magi , a bas-relief made of plaster, today Church of Notre-Dame, Puiseaux.
• A terra cotta bust of a young girl . Today: Town Hall of Puiseaux.
• Hope . Today: niche above the gate gable of the cemetery in Puiseaux.
• The republic . Today: Town Hall of Puiseaux.
• The woman and the Sphynx . Today: After restoration by the Art Academy in Tours, back in the town hall of Puiseaux.

In Paris

• Science , bronze. It is the tallest statue by Jules Blanchard. Today: in front of the Paris City Hall .
• The caryatids . Four statues ( the drama , the comedy , the music and the dance ) Today: Boardroom in the City Hall, Paris.
• The literature , a group of two young boys. Today: the roof hatch of the City Hall in Paris.
• The boccador represents the Italian architect who began building the old town hall in Paris.
• La bocca della verità , first made of plaster, later of marble. Today: Park of the Luxembourg Palace , Paris.
• Andromedea . Originally this 2.50 m high statue belonged to the Senate of Paris. Today: Park of the Luxembourg Palace , Paris.

Other places

Since Jules Blanchard exercised his craft for over 60 years, he left numerous other works. Some can be seen in Pithiviers , Angoulême , and Versailles .

Lost works

• The Soissons fountain . Jules Blanchard created this group of sculptures for the imposing fountain in Soissons , surmounted by an undine . The monument was completely destroyed by the German bombing in the First World War.
• Duhamel du Monceau . In honor of this great scientist, the municipality of Pithiviers decided to erect his statue in the city. Jules Blanchard realized this work. The base was built by the architect Ratouin. The statue was inaugurated in 1893. During the Second World War it was unscrewed and shipped to Germany for casting .