David dAngers

David d'Angers or Pierre-Jean David , 1788-1856, French sculptor. His works are numerous and present national figures, often nude, in statues, busts, reliefs, and medallions. The pediment of the Panthéon in Paris shows a group of distinguished Frenchmen receiving wreaths from the hand of France. Although he was considered a romantic in his day, his style reflects a strong academic training. The Musée David at Angers, his birthplace, has a fine collection of his sculptures.

David, Pierre-Jean (1788–1856). French sculptor, known after his birthplace as David d'Angers. He won the Prix de Rome in 1811 and from then until 1815 lived in Italy, where he met and admired Ingres and was also influenced by Canova and Thorvaldsen. However, Neoclassical influence was tempered by a strong inclination towards naturalism, and his contemporaries considered him a Romantic. His most prestigious commission was the high-relief pedimental sculpture of the Pantheon in Paris, which shows an allegorical figure of France distributing wreaths to great Frenchmen (1830–7), but his best works are to be found among his busts and medallions of famous men. He left a large collection of them to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in his native city.

David, Pierre-Jean (b Angers, 12 Mar. 1788; d Paris, 6 Jan. 1856). French sculptor, known after his birthplace as David d'Angers. He won the Prix de Rome in 1811 and from then until 1815 lived in Italy, where he met and admired Ingres and was also influenced by Canova and Thorvaldsen. However, Neoclassical influence was tempered by a strong inclination towards naturalism, and his contemporaries considered him a Romantic. His most prestigious commission was the high-relief pedimental sculpture of the Pantheon in Paris, which shows an allegorical figure of France distributing wreaths to great Frenchmen (1830–7), but his best works are to be found among his busts and medallions of famous men. He left a large collection of them to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in his native city.