Germain Pilon

Germain Pilon (c. 1525 – 3 February 1590) was a French Renaissance sculptor.

He was born in Paris and trained with his father, André Pilon. Documents show that he and his father executed several religious statues and tomb effigies in collaboration. Since Connat & Colombier established that Germain was born c. 1525 (rather than about ten years later, as previously believed), several early works have been reattributed to him, including the marble grouping Diana with a Stag (originally at the Château d'Anet, Eure-et-Loire; now at the Louvre). Later he worked with Pierre Bontemps. Pilon became expert with marble, bronze, wood and terra cotta. From about 1555 he was providing models for Parisian goldsmiths. He was also skilled at drawing.

His works - with their realism and theatrical emotion - show the influence of the School of Fontainebleau, Michelangelo and Italian Mannerism. Much of Pilon's work was on funerary monuments, especially the Valois Chapel at the Saint Denis Basilica designed by Francesco Primaticcio (never completed). He was the favorite sculptor of queen Catherine de' Medici.

Pilon's most famous works include:

Resurrection of Christ, Louvre

Resurrection of Christ (detail)

Diana with a Stag, Louvre

Tomb of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici, Saint-Denis Basilica, with marble effigies

Saint-Denis Basilica, kneeling bronzes of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici on top of their tomb

Saint-Denis Basilica, marble sculptures of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici in coronation robes

...
Wikipedia