David d'Angers

Born in Angers in 1788, Pierre-Jean David d’Angers arrived in Paris in 1808 to study under Philippe-Laurent Roland. After winning the Prix de Rome in 1811, he spent four years in Rome, where he met Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen. By 1816, he had secured his first major public commission: a monumental statue of the Grand Condé for the Pont de la Concorde. During this time, he began specialising in portraiture and bronze medallions, aiming to immortalise the great figures of his era.

Public monuments remained central to his work. In 1830, he was commissioned to create the figurative pediment for the Panthéon in Paris, a project he completed between 1830 and 1837. This high-relief sculpture, measuring 2.8 by 15.4 meters, allegorically represents La Patrie (the Nation) distributing laurels to notable figures from various fields, including Voltaire, Rousseau, and Napoleon Bonaparte. The composition was both a political statement and an artistic achievement, reflecting his republican ideals and commitment to commemorating the nation's heroes.

A staunch republican, David d’Angers infused his work with his political convictions. He believed that art should serve as a moral guide, promoting the values of liberty and progress. The present work exemplifies David d’Angers’ commitment to capturing the likenesses of influential individuals of his time. It portrays the renowned writer and close friend of the sculptor, Victor Hugo, aligning with David d’Angers’ mission to immortalise the great minds of his era.