Bust of Jefferson by Houdon

Jean-Antoine Houdon (March 20, 1741 – July 15, 1828) was a French neoclassical sculptor. Houdon is famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors and political figures of the Enlightenment. Houdon's subjects include Denis Diderot (1771), Benjamin Franklin (1778-09), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1778), Voltaire (1781), Molière (1781), George Washington (1785-88), Thomas Jefferson (1789), Louis XVI (1790), Robert Fulton]], 1803-04, and Napoléon Bonaparte (1806). thomas Jefferson by jean Antoine Hudon1789 museum of fine arts, boston, massachusetts, USA The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... thomas Jefferson by jean Antoine Hudon1789 museum of fine arts, boston, massachusetts, USA The copyright status of this vintage image is undetermined; it may still be copyrighted. ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in Leap years). ... // Events April 10 - Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz August 10 - Raja of Travancore defeats Dutch East India Company naval expedition at Battle of Colachel December 19 - Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia December 25 - Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Look up Enlightenment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Portrait of Diderot by Louis-Michel van Loo, 1767 Denis Diderot (October 5, 1713 – July 31, 1784) was a French philosopher and writer. ... Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ... Jean-Jacques Rousseau (June 28, 1712 – July 2, 1778) was a Genevan philosopher of the Enlightenment whose political ideas influenced the French Revolution, the development of socialist theory, and the growth of nationalism. ... Voltaire at 24 years of age by Nicolas de Largillière. ... Molière, engraved frontispiece to his Works. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799) led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 N.S. – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and an influential founder of the United States. ... Louis XVI Louis XVI (August 23, 1754 - January 21, 1793), was King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then King of the French in 1791-1792. ... Bonaparte as general Napoléon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur...

Born in Versailles, Houdon won the Prix de Rome in 1761, but was not greatly influenced by ancient and Renaissance art in Rome. His stay in the city is marked by two characteristic and important productions: the superb Ecorché (1767), an anatomical model which has served as a guide to all artists since his day, and the statue of Saint Bruno in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome. After ten years stay in Italy, Houdon returned to Paris. , Versailles (pronounced , roughly vair-sye’, in French), formerly the de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important administrative and judicial center. ... The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for art students. ... 1761 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 8th century BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... Saint Bruno (Cologne, c. ... Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (English: ) is a basilica built inside the tepidarium of the baths of Diocletian, in Rome. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area...

Houdon's portrait sculpture of Washington was the result of a specific invitation by Benjamin Franklin to cross the Atlantic specifically to visit Mount Vernon, so that Washington could model for him. Washington sat for wet clay life models and a plaster life mask in 1785. These models served for many commisions of Washington, including the standing figure commissioned by the Legislature of Virginia, and located in the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. Numerous variations of the Washington bust were produced, portraying him variously as a general in uniform, in the classical manner showing chest musculature, and as Roman Consul Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus clad in a toga. A version of the latter is located in the Vermont State House. Back of the main house. ... The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Virginia State Capitol Building at Richmond, Virginia Virginia State Capitol is a building in Richmond, the city which is the third State Capital of Virginia. ... Nickname: River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Area    - City 62. ... With one hand he returns the fasces, symbol of power as appointed dictator of Rome. ... The Vermont State House The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, Vermont, is the capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. ...

Houdon became a member of the Académie des beaux-arts in 1771, and a professor in 1778. Perceieved as bourgeois for his connections to the court of Louis XVI, he fell out of favor during the French Revolution, although he escaped imprisonment. Houdon returned to favor during the French Consulate and Empire. The Académie des beaux-arts (Academy of Fine Arts) is a French learned society. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A professor giving a lecture The meaning of the word professor (Latin: one who claims publicly to be an expert) varies. ... 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a pivotal period in the history of French, European and Western civilization. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The First French Empire, commonly known as the French Empire or the Napoleonic Empire, covers the period of the domination of France and much of continental Europe by Napoleon I of France. ...

Houdon died in Paris and was interred at the Cimetière du Montparnasse. The Cimetière du Montparnasse is a famous cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, France. ...

See also

• Les Neuf Sœurs

Les Neuf SÅ“urs was a prominent French Masonic Lodge that was particularly influential in organising French support for the American Revolution. ...

References

• Poulet, Ann L. "Jean-Antoine Houdon: Sculptor of the Enlightenment." University of Chicago Press: 2003. ISBN 0226676471.

External links

• Virtual Gallery