Louis Chalon

1866- 1940

Born in Paris, he studied with Jules Lefevre and Boulanger, and exhibited vast classically inspired paintings in the Salons of the Societe des Artistes Francais where he was awarded an Honorable Mention in 1885, another one in 1898, a Third Class Medal in 1891 and an Honorable Mention at the Expositions Universelles of 1889 and 1900.

He supplied many illustrations to the periodicals La Vie Parisienne, L’Illustration and Figaro Illustre, as well as illustrating several books, including works by Rabelais, Bobbaccio, and Balzac.

Louis Chalon also worked as a goldsmith and silversmith and executed some sumptuous costumes. While experimenting with painted wax figures in 1898 he discovered the pleasures of sculpture, to which he was to devote much of the rest of his life. Many of his subjects are mythological, while many of his female subjects are femme-fleurs, women symbolizing flowers. He worked mainly in bronze, producing small objects such as lamps, inkwells, vases and cloaks. He occasionally created sculpture and furniture in wood and ivory as well.