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Lot Essay
Philippe-Laurent Roland (1746-1816) studied at the École de Dessin in Lille, near his hometown of Pont-à-Marc, before moving to Paris. By 1764, he entered the studio of Augustin Pajou and revered him as a model and pattern throughout his life. Pajou very quickly saw his talent, and gave him major commissions such as decorations at the Palais-Royal, Paris, and at the Opéra Royal at Versailles. In 1771, he left for Rome, where he began to combine French 18th century delicacy with the more austere Italian neo-classicism to great effect. In 1782, back in Paris and still the ‘protégé’ of Pajou, he was accepted into the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture, Paris.
The present bust depicts Roland’s brother-in-law, the architect Pierre Rousseau (1751-1829). Son of the architect Pierre Rousseau, he was trained by the famous architect and Contrôleur général des Bâtiments du Roi, Nicolas-Marie Potain (1723-1790) in Paris and was accepted as a 'pensionnaire' to the Académie française in Rome in July 1773. In 1777, back in Paris, he was introduced to Potain's daughter Marie-Adrienne Potain and the subsequent marriage was to prove a great benefit to his career. He took over from Potain the construction of the Saint Germain church in Saint Germain-en-Laye and built next to it Saint Anne' s Chapel. He entered the royal office of works, and was appointed building inspector assistant to his father-in-law at Fontainebleau, and carried out important works in 1785-1786. He received several commissions, among them the construction of the Hôtel de Salm - today the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur - in 1782 for Frederic III, prince of Salm-Kyrburg. The bas-reliefs of the building were carved by Roland who married the second daughter of Potain, Thérèse-Françoise in 1782. Nicolas-Marie Potain also secured employment for Roland as a decorative sculptor in the private apartments of Louis XVI and gave him an apartment in the Louvre. He received royal commissions, among them the Boudoir de la Reine at Fontainebleau, and a statue of the Grand Condé for the Louvre. Under the Consulate, the Empire and the Restoration, Pierre Rousseau was appointed as 'Architecte des bâtiments nationaux' in several French departments.
Even though the present bust bears a false signature there is no doubt concerning the attribution. James Draper, in his article Pajou and Roland (loc. cit) confirms its dating to around 1785 and convincingly attributes it to Roland. The marble was preceded by the terracotta bust conserved in the Hermitage, previously attributed to Pajou and identified as representing the architect Pierre Rousseau. Draper compares our bust to the self-portrait of Roland, which are very similar in feel. Both were carved at around the same time and not signed, which was a common trait of Roland's busts. The bust has a superb naturalism and a sense of playfulness - a debt Roland owed to Pajou - and he added neo-classical elements such as the hair, the pony tail, and the models' dignified yet slightly frozen pose. As Draper and Scherf (op. cit, p. 266) have pointed out, portraits of artists or their families were always looked upon with great fondness in French eighteenth century society and were particularly fashionable at the Salon of 1789.
The present bust depicts Roland’s brother-in-law, the architect Pierre Rousseau (1751-1829). Son of the architect Pierre Rousseau, he was trained by the famous architect and Contrôleur général des Bâtiments du Roi, Nicolas-Marie Potain (1723-1790) in Paris and was accepted as a 'pensionnaire' to the Académie française in Rome in July 1773. In 1777, back in Paris, he was introduced to Potain's daughter Marie-Adrienne Potain and the subsequent marriage was to prove a great benefit to his career. He took over from Potain the construction of the Saint Germain church in Saint Germain-en-Laye and built next to it Saint Anne' s Chapel. He entered the royal office of works, and was appointed building inspector assistant to his father-in-law at Fontainebleau, and carried out important works in 1785-1786. He received several commissions, among them the construction of the Hôtel de Salm - today the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur - in 1782 for Frederic III, prince of Salm-Kyrburg. The bas-reliefs of the building were carved by Roland who married the second daughter of Potain, Thérèse-Françoise in 1782. Nicolas-Marie Potain also secured employment for Roland as a decorative sculptor in the private apartments of Louis XVI and gave him an apartment in the Louvre. He received royal commissions, among them the Boudoir de la Reine at Fontainebleau, and a statue of the Grand Condé for the Louvre. Under the Consulate, the Empire and the Restoration, Pierre Rousseau was appointed as 'Architecte des bâtiments nationaux' in several French departments.
Even though the present bust bears a false signature there is no doubt concerning the attribution. James Draper, in his article Pajou and Roland (loc. cit) confirms its dating to around 1785 and convincingly attributes it to Roland. The marble was preceded by the terracotta bust conserved in the Hermitage, previously attributed to Pajou and identified as representing the architect Pierre Rousseau. Draper compares our bust to the self-portrait of Roland, which are very similar in feel. Both were carved at around the same time and not signed, which was a common trait of Roland's busts. The bust has a superb naturalism and a sense of playfulness - a debt Roland owed to Pajou - and he added neo-classical elements such as the hair, the pony tail, and the models' dignified yet slightly frozen pose. As Draper and Scherf (op. cit, p. 266) have pointed out, portraits of artists or their families were always looked upon with great fondness in French eighteenth century society and were particularly fashionable at the Salon of 1789.