GIRARDON, François

This relief was part of the funerary monument to Anne-Marie de Bourbon, princesse de Conti (died 1672). Originally in the church of Saint-Andr�-des-Arts, Paris, it was dismantled during the Revolution and is now, in a reduced and modified state, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In the fields of funerary art Girardon’s most famous work is the tomb of Cardinal Richelieu in the chapel of the Sorbonne, Paris.

Girardon was a close collaborator of Le Brun and embodied in his works the classical theories of the Academy. From 1663 onwards he played a part in the decoration of the royal palaces, and in 1666 he received the commission on which his fame principally rests, the group of Apollo and the Nymphs of Thetis for the grotto of Thetis at Versailles.

It is hard now to judge this work because not only was it placed in the late eighteenth century in a new ‘picturesque’ setting of rocks and ruins designed by Hubert Robert, but the arrangement of the figures in the group was altered. An engraving by Le Pautre shows the original disposition of the group in an enclosed niche, which was flanked by two other similar niches containing the horses of Apollo carved by Gu�rin and the Marsy brothers. This idea of continuing the action through several different parts of the building and so linking them up is a Baroque device.

Girardon’s group is the most purely classical work in French seventeenth-century sculpture. The direct inspiration of Hellenistic work is strikingly evident in the types, the modelling of the nude and the treatment of the draperies, and can be accounted for by the fact that the artist paid a special visit to Rome during the execution of the group in order to refresh his memory of ancient sculpture there.

The main problem which faced Girardon, however, was not the treatment of the individual figures, but the manner of linking them into a coherent group. Antiquity provided no model to guide him here, thus Girardon used as source the paintings of Poussin.

Girardon worked for seven years on the group of Apollo and the Nymphs (which originally stood in the Grotto of Thetis, flanked by the horses of Apollo carved by Gu�rin and Marsy). The life-size figures are like a semblance, in mythological terms, of the King and his court ladies taken by surprise in a corner of the park. Undoubtedly of some importance was the journey to Italy made by Girardon while he was working on the group: the seven strictly isolated figures have Renaissance prototypes. The lively setting, animated by lifelike details done from nature (such as the amphora, so accurately rendered with all its relief carving), may readily be imagined as part of a ballet or opera with music by Lully.

The tree nymphs at the back are by Thomas Renaudin (1627-1706).

The lively setting, animated by lifelike details done from nature (such as the amphora, so accurately rendered with all its relief carving), may readily be imagined as part of a ballet or opera with music by Lully.

This is a small-scale version of the statue of Louis XIV for the Place des Conquêtes (Place Vend�me). Hardouin-Mansart and Girardon were together responsible for the Place Vend�me that masterpiece of the genre ‘place royale’, soon to be imitated throughout Europe. Girardon’s statue, which was finished in 1699, inspired, among others, the statue of the Grand Elector in Berlin by Andreas Schl�ter.

This sculpture was commissioned in 1685 to adorn the Place Vend�me in Paris. Taking as his prototype the monument to Marcus Aurelius in Rome, Girardon depicted the king as a triumphant general astride a horse without a saddle or stirrups, in ancient dress but with the wig characteristic of his own time. The monument, 17 meters high with the pedestal, was destroyed during the French Revolution and is known today by only a few scale models.

The dying cardinal, lying on his sarcophagus and originally gesturing in supplication toward the altar, is upheld by Religion and mourned by Science. The three figures, united by the lines of skillfully arranged draperies, are informed by a solemn and touching sentiment.

Apart from the sculptures for Versailles, Girardon received many other commissions, both private and public. In the monument to Richelieu in the church of the Sorbonne (1675-94) he provides the classical type for the free-standing altar-tomb. Like all Girardon’s works, it was carefully designed to suit its position, which was originally the middle of the choir on the main axis of the church. Here it would have presented two principal aspects, one towards the altar, the other towards the north, from which side it would be approached by those who came into the church from the university. The latter would see the full-length recumbent figure of the Cardinal exactly from the side, except that the upper half of his body is turned so as to face towards the spectator; while the mourning figure at his feet would be seen exactly from behind. From the altar the group is again coherent with the mourning figure leading straight back to the dead man, who turns his head so as to look up at the altar and is supported by the allegorical figure of Piety whose gaze follows his.

The dying cardinal, lying on his sarcophagus and originally gesturing in supplication toward the altar, is upheld by Religion and mourned by Science. The three figures, united by the lines of skillfully arranged draperies, are informed by a solemn and touching sentiment.

The dying cardinal, lying on his sarcophagus and originally gesturing in supplication toward the altar, is upheld by Religion and mourned by Science. The three figures, united by the lines of skillfully arranged draperies, are informed by a solemn and touching sentiment.

Apart from the sculptures for Versailles, Girardon received many other commissions, both private and public. In the monument to Richelieu in the church of the Sorbonne (1675-94) he provides the classical type for the free-standing altar-tomb. Like all Girardon’s works, it was carefully designed to suit its position, which was originally the middle of the choir on the main axis of the church. Here it would have presented two principal aspects, one towards the altar, the other towards the north, from which side it would be approached by those who came into the church from the university. The latter would see the full-length recumbent figure of the Cardinal exactly from the side, except that the upper half of his body is turned so as to face towards the spectator; while the mourning figure at his feet would be seen exactly from behind. From the altar the group is again coherent with the mourning figure leading straight back to the dead man, who turns his head so as to look up at the altar and is supported by the allegorical figure of Piety whose gaze follows his.

The detail shows the dead man, who turns his head so as to look up at the altar and is supported by the allegorical figure of Piety whose gaze follows his.

Persephone (Proserpina for the Romans), the daughter of the corn-goddess Ceres, was picking flowers in a meadow with her companions when she was observed by Hades (also known as Pluto), the king of the underworld. Suddenly inflamed with love - according to Ovid he had just been struck by one of Cupid’s arrows - Hades swept her away on his chariot. He caused a great chasm to open before them in the earth and Persephone was carried down to his kingdom below.

The Persephone is a free-standing group, composed of three entwined figures carved out of a single block. Girardon is therefore here directly challenging comparison with Bernini’s treatment of the same theme and with Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabines. Once again the statue does not now stand in the position for which it was originally designed. Until recently it was seen standing in the middle of the circular Colonnade, facing the entrance but inviting the spectator to walk round it and view it on all sides. It was planned, however, to form one of a quartet of groups at the four corners of the Parterre d’Eau. We do not know exactly how it was to be placed, but it would certainly have been set on a definite axis, so that it presented one principal aspect. Girardon has taken this fact into account and has designed the group with a marked emphasis on frontality. This feature is brought out most clearly by a comparison with the two Italian groups. Bologna’s version presents satisfactory composition from whatever angle it is seen, but does not finally arrest the spectator at any one point. Bernini’s is evidently meant to be studied primarily from one view, with the body of Pluto seen frontally, but there is such a wealth of cross-movement in depth that it can be examined from many sides. Girardon has concentrated everything on one view, to the extent that he has almost designed the statue as a high relief.

Persephone (Proserpina for the Romans), the daughter of the corn-goddess Ceres, was picking flowers in a meadow with her companions when she was observed by Hades (also known as Pluto), the king of the underworld. Suddenly inflamed with love - according to Ovid he had just been struck by one of Cupid’s arrows - Hades swept her away on his chariot. He caused a great chasm to open before them in the earth and Persephone was carried down to his kingdom below.

The Persephone is a free-standing group, composed of three entwined figures carved out of a single block. Girardon is therefore here directly challenging comparison with Bernini’s treatment of the same theme and with Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabines. Once again the statue does not now stand in the position for which it was originally designed. Until recently it was seen standing in the middle of the circular Colonnade, facing the entrance but inviting the spectator to walk round it and view it on all sides. It was planned, however, to form one of a quartet of groups at the four corners of the Parterre d’Eau. We do not know exactly how it was to be placed, but it would certainly have been set on a definite axis, so that it presented one principal aspect. Girardon has taken this fact into account and has designed the group with a marked emphasis on frontality. This feature is brought out most clearly by a comparison with the two Italian groups. Bologna’s version presents satisfactory composition from whatever angle it is seen, but does not finally arrest the spectator at any one point. Bernini’s is evidently meant to be studied primarily from one view, with the body of Pluto seen frontally, but there is such a wealth of cross-movement in depth that it can be examined from many sides. Girardon has concentrated everything on one view, to the extent that he has almost designed the statue as a high relief.

This statue was executed after a drawing by Le Brun, inspired by the Iconologia by Cesare Ripa. Girardon transformed the conventional allegory into a dramatic and even tragic evocation of a man in the grip of the forces of death.

Originally the statue stood in the garden of the château where now it is replaced by a copy. Since 2009, the restored original is sheltered from erosion in the Galerie Basse (Lower Gallery) of the château.