Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse

Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (Jun 12, 1824 - Jun 3, 1887); born Albert-Ernest Carrier de Belleuse was a French sculptor He was one of the founding members of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and was made an officer of the Légion d'honneur

Carrier-Belleuse was born on 12 June 1824 at Anizy-le-Château, Aisne, France He began his training as a goldsmith's apprentice Carrier-Belleuse was a student of David d'Angers and briefly studied at the École des Beaux-Arts His career is distinguished by his versatility and his work outside France: in England between 1850 and 1855 (working for Mintons), and in Brussels around 1871 His name is perhaps best known because Auguste Rodin worked as his assistant between 1864 and 1870 The two travelled to Brussels in 1871, and by some accounts Rodin assisted Carrier-Belleuse's architectural sculpture for the Brussels Stock Exchange

In 1840 he entered the School of Fine Arts in Paris There he was pupil of the sculptor David d'Angers, although for very little time From 1850 to 1855 he resided in London, designing for Minton China Works Upon returning to his country he exhibited his first work of importance in the National Hall (1859)

Rodin worked as a marble worker in his workshop between 1864 and 1870 In this last year both traveled to Brussels, during the Franco Prussian War, where Albert-Ernest was commissioned for the production of ornamental sculpture In his works he was inspired by some artists of century XVIII, like Jean-Antonie Houdon and Clodion

From 1857 he exhibited great sculptures in the Paris Salon, which provided him with medals and clients

In 1859, thanks to an annual exhibition, became famous, obtaining thus the patronage of Napoleón III This one entrusted to him a project of reconstruction architectonic of Paris, realizing for this monumental bronze sculptures

In 1876 he was appointed art director of the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, where he incorporated several models of his own

Carrier-Belleuse felt great admiration for the sculptors of late Baroque French Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, Agustin Pajou, Jean-Antoine Houdon and Claude Michel, known as Clodion, whose works had some classic characteristics with the singularity of the French sculptures of the 18th century influenced his work

It was unmistakable the stamp that left in his sculptures of women, imprinted a particular stamp with the elaborate motifs in the hairstyle and ornaments in the chest, particularity of the seduction of Roccocó In his work the ideal of academic beauty can be observed The sculptor makes a recognition of the woman with a naturalism where she can shape the femininity of the models

He was the father and teacher of Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse (1848-1913) who followed in his footsteps and did many works in terracotta, so his busts and portraits contributed to the resurgence of the French style of the eighteenth century

Carrier-Belleuse made many terra cotta pieces, the most famous of which may be The Abduction of Hippodameia depicting the Greek mythological scene of a centaur kidnapping Hippodameia on her wedding day He was also made artistic director at the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres in 1876

In 1862 Carrier-Belleuse was one of the founding members of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and was made an officer of the Légion d'honneur The bronzes he executed prior to 1868 were always signed "Carrier" or "A Carrier", but after 1868 his signature was changed to "Carrier-Belleuse"

His work encompassed all manner of sculptural subjects and materials, and his naturalism incorporated a breadth of styles: unembellished Realism, neo-Baroque exuberance, and Rococo elegance

He also taught his sons, the painters Louis-Robert Carrier-Belleuse and Pierre Carrier-Belleuse

Carrier-Belleuse died on 4 June 1887 at Sèvres, France

Works of art:
pediment sculpture of Abundance, Pavillon de Flore, South façade of the Great Galerie, Louvre palace, Paris, crica 1863
caryatids themed on the four seasons, Vichy Opera, for architect Charles Badger, 1865
architectural sculpture for the Tribunal de commerce de Paris (Commercial Court of Paris), on the Île de la Cité, for architect Antoine-Nicolas Bailly, completed 1865
a silvered bronze chimney-piece for the Hôtel de la Païva, Paris, 1866
monument to André Masséna, Nice, 1869
architectural work at the Brussels Stock Exchange, Brussels, circa 1870
Mary Queen of Scots, Private Collection, ca 1870
two elaborate multifigure torchères for the base of grand staircase, Palais Garnier (Paris Opera), Pairs, 1873
tomb of Belgian photographer Louis Ghémar, Laeken Cemetery, Brussels, 1873
architectural work for the Théâtre de la Renaissance, Paris, for architect Charles de Lalande, 1873
Sea Nymph for the fountain at the Place du Theâtre-Français, Paris, for architect Gabriel Davioud, 1874
Four Seasons fountain, Hotel de Ville, Fleurance
mausoleum of José de San Martín, Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, Buenos Aires
equestrian statue of Mihai Viteazul, University Square, Bucharest, Romania
equestrian statue of Manuel Belgrano, Plaza de Mayo Square, Buenos Aires, Argentina
equestrian statue of Bernardo O'Higgins, Alameda, Santiago de Chile, Chile
statue for the victims of the La Compañía fire, originally at the place of the fire, today in front of the General Cemetery in Santiago de Chile, Chile
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