Francisque Joseph Duret

Francisque Joseph Duret (* October 19, 1804 in Paris, † 1865 ) was a French sculptor.

Duret, students Bosio, was honored in 1823 with the Prix de Rome, which allowed him a four -year stay in Italy, during which he repeatedly went to Naples to copy ancient works. In 1831 he won a gold medal with a still somewhat reminiscent of Canova Mercury, who invents the lyre. In 1833, he created the Neapolitan fisherman, the tarantella dancing, ( Louvre in Paris ), the Chactas the grave Atala and 1836 the improviser, a Liebesliedchen singing.

For the museum at Versailles, he created statues of Molière, Dunois and Richelieu, for the Church Ste. -Madeleine one Christ and St. Gabriel; the hall of the sept cheminées in the Louvre he adorned with the Victorias, and for the foyer of the Theatre francais, he created the statues of tragedy and comedy and the actress Rachel. In 1860 he completed the monumental fountain Fontaine Saint- Michel with the St. Michael slaying the dragon on the square of St. Michel in Paris.

As a professor at the École des beaux -arts, he has more wrought by his teaching as for his work. He died in 1865.