born Dec. 1, 1716, Paris, Fr.
died Jan. 24, 1791, Paris
French sculptor.
After being apprenticed to a carpenter, he studied sculpture in Paris. He developed an intimate style with a taste for erotic figures. Through Madame de Peter I the Great in St. Petersburg (made famous as The Bronze Horseman by Aleksandr Pushkin ), was unveiled in 1782. After suffering a stroke (1783), he gave up sculpture and devoted his time to writing. He is best known for adapting the classical style of the French {{link=Baroque period">Baroque period to the Rococo style ideal.