A key figure in the Second Empire, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887) produced important bronze, marble and terracotta statuettes. A prolific artist, he made busts of numerous personalities such as Napoleon III or Eugene Delacroix, and characteristic statues of women with mats raised in the manner of Clodion, and adorned with Renaissance costumes.
Wishing to spread the sense of Beauty in everyday life, Carrier-Belleuse is a major figure in the decorative arts, author of designs for candelabra, fireplace grarniture, porcelain vases and other objects combining art with usefulness. He collaborated with Barbedienne, Deniere, Christofle, and became art director of the Manufacture of Sèvres for which he creates original designs.
A recognized and admired artist, he is also responsible for important public commissions such as the Torchs of the Opera House in Palais Garnier and presented at the Salon large marble statues such as the famous Bacchant (1863), which adorned the garden of the Tuileries until 1984.
