Christophe Veyrier was the nephew and the follower of Pierre Puget. In 1663 he is in Genoa where he stays for several years. He prolongs his stay in Italy by working in Rome in 1668-70. In 1674 he married the daughter of the sister of Puget’s wife. Later he worked in Aix-en-Provence then settled in Toulon. He executed several religious statues for Toulon, Monpellier and Aix. Statues of mythological subject are also attributed to him.
When the bust was acquired by the Louvre from the Gabaret family in 1896, it was acceepted that the bust represents the Admiral Jean Gabaret (1631-1697), a famous marine commander who participated in the battles of Sicily, Ireland, and America. He was nominated in 1689 as Lieutenant General of the French Royal Navy. Later study of the coat-of-arms at the pedestal identified the sitter as Mathurin Gabaret, father of the Admiral, himself a marine.
Bothe father and son frequently visited Toulon in periods when Veyrier lived there.
Originally the relief together with its companion-piece, a life-size Virgin, was in the church of the Minimes in Toulon.
The sulptor Pierre Puget, master of Veyrier, is represented in his sixties.
The bust represent a president of the Parliament of Provence in his traditional dress. He is identified as Pierre-Arnould Marin who was president between 1674 and 1690.
This is one of the statues of mythological subject attributed to Veyrier.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 11 minutes):
Claude Debussy: Pr�lude à l’apr�s-midi d’un faune
