Jean Jacques (James) Pradier (1790-1852), sculptor
1st image: Soirée; 2nd: painting by Guignet (1840s); 3rd: drawing by Massan (1840s); 4th: painting by Gigoux (1850s).
Swiss-born sculptor James Pradier was renowned for his monumental, life-size marble and bronze sculptures, celebrated for their realism and striking presence. Count de Nieuwerkerke, one of his students, likely facilitated Pradier’s invitation to one or more vendredi-soirées. A bon-vivant and bohemian, Pradier was a sought-after guest at Parisian social gatherings.
Inspired by Louvre director Vivant Denon (#E), Pradier traveled to Paris in 1807 to study at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he trained under Ingres39. He rose to prominence as one of the most popular sculptors of the Second Empire.
His mythological statues—such as Sapho, Phryne, and Three Graces—radiate an undeniable sensuality, seducing viewers to reach out and feel the polished marble beneath their fingers. His works adorn prestigious locations, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Dome des Invalides, and museums such as the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and collections in Lyon, Lille, and Quimper.
Pradier’s atelier, which he shared with his strikingly beautiful mistress Juliette Drouet, became a vibrant hub for the Parisian art scene. Flaubert, Gautier, and many figures depicted in Soirée au Louvre —such as Delacroix10, de Mercey22, Scheffer41, and de Musset73—frequented his studio. Juliette later became the mistress of Pradier’s friend, Victor Hugo, whose novel Les Misérables was inspired in part by her harrowing youth.
It was at Pradier’s studio in the early 1840s that Léonie Biard, wife of the future painter of Soirée au Louvre, met Victor Hugo and fell in love with him. When Biard discovered their affair, it ended their marriage.
Pradier’s second mistress, Louise Darcet, also stirred scandal in Parisian society. She was romantically involved with several notable figures, including Dumas and Flaubert. The latter drew from her personal accounts to shape his novel Madame Bovary.
James Pradier died of a stroke in June 1852. He is one of three individuals Biard included posthumously in his painting. Given Pradier’s wife formally divorced him that same year, it is unlikely Biard had Pradier pose in person. Instead, the artist likely based Pradier’s depiction on Massan’s 1840s drawing.