René-Michel Slodtz called Michel-Ange Slodtz (1705–1764) was a French sculptor who worked in

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style, and active mainly in Paris and Rome for the

Menus-Plaisirs du Roi The Menus-Plaisirs du Roi () was, in the organisation of the France, French royal household under the Ancien Régime, the department of the Maison du Roi responsible for the "lesser pleasures of the King", which meant in practice that it was in ...

Biography

A Parisian by birth, Slodtz's father,

Sébastien Slodtz Sebastiaen Slodtz, in France called Sébastien Slodtz (1655–1726) was a Flemish sculptor and decorator who after training in his native Antwerp, moved to France where he became a court sculptor to the King.Gordon Campbell, The Grove Encyclopedi ...

, was also a sculptor. Sv Petr Vatican interier 15

Slodtz spent seventeen years in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, where he was chosen to execute a statue of '' St. Bruno'' (1744) for a niche in the nave of St Peter's. The statue demonstrates the saint's refusal of the bishop's miter and staff offered by a cherub, while his right hand rests on a skull, evoking mortality. The simplicity of the monk's robes and the shaved head adds classical style to the heavily

baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

sculpture. He also sculpted the tomb of Marquis Capponi in

San Giovanni dei Fiorentini The Basilica of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini ("Saint John of the Florentines") is a minor basilica and a titular church in the Ponte (rione of Rome), Ponte ''Rioni of Rome, rione'' of Rome, Italy. Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the protector ...

. Other Roman churches showcase his work including

San Luigi dei Francesi The Church of St. Louis of the French (, , ) is a Catholic Church, Catholic church near Piazza Navona in Rome. The church is dedicated to the patron saints of France: Virgin Mary, Dionysius the Areopagite and King Louis IX of France. The churc ...

and

Santa Maria della Scala Santa Maria della Scala (English: Mary of the Staircase) is a titular church, titular churches of Rome, church in Rome, Italy, located in the Trastevere rione. It is served by friars of the Discalced Carmelite Order. Cardinal Ernest Simoni took p ...

. After his return to France in 1747, Slodtz, in conjunction with his brothers, Antoine-Sebastien and Paul, produced many decorative works in the churches of Paris, and, though many have been destroyed, his most acclaimed achievement is the tomb of

Jean-Joseph Languet de Gergy Jean-Joseph Languet de Gergy (; 25 August 1677 – 11 May 1753) was a Catholic French bishop and theologian. He was first bishop of Soissons and then archbishop of Sens. He was a member of the ''Académie française''. Biography Son of the pub ...

at St. Sulpice, which was commissioned in 1750. Slodtz and his brothers were members of the

Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture The Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (; ) was founded in 1648 in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime until it was abolished in 1793 during the French Revolution. I ...

. Notable French artist and sculptor,

Charles François Hutin Charles François Hutin (4 July 1715 – 29 July 1776) was a French history and figure painter, engraver and sculptor. He became director of the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, Royal Academy of Arts in Dresden.Hélène Guicharnaud. "Hutin." Grove ...

, was a pupil of Slodtz while in Rome.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Slodtz, Rene-Michel 1705 births 1764 deaths Sculptors from Paris 18th-century French sculptors French male sculptors Rococo sculptors 18th-century French male artists