Louis le Masson, François Masson

Two brothers, architect and sculptor

The talents of Louis Le Masson, an engineer and artist, and his brother François Masson, a sculptor, emerged at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Louis Le Masson was as much a draughtsman and painter as an architect and engineer, as evidenced by his exceptional panorama of Rome. François Masson created the sculptures for the Government Palace in Metz and was responsible for the conservation of the sculptures in the Tuileries gardens.

After the disasters of the Revolution, the installation of the Directoire provoked a lucky turn of events. Louis Le Masson was then a great clerk of the State, chief engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées in Rouen. His exceptional longevity led him to live through the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, which recalled him to the castle of Rambouillet. François Masson's career intensified under the Consulate and the Empire. A sculptor in great demand, he counts Napoleon among his clients. The social ascension of these two brothers is impressive. One was ennobled by Louis XVIII, the other received the Legion of Honor from Napoleon.

The works preserved in the family and in museums, notably at the Château de Versailles, have provided the thread for the research in this book, which brings Louis Le Masson and François Masson back into the limelight and restores them to the place they deserve in the history of works of art.

Contents:
Introduction
Two brothers, artists of the 18th century
Louis Le Masson (1743-1829)
  François Masson (1745-1807)
LOUIS LE MASSON
FRANÇOIS MASSON
Annexes 

Yvonne de Guillebon-Le Masson
with Monelle Hayot editions, 2022
Dimension: 24 X 28 cm
Number of pages : 352
Date of publication: June 3, 2022
Language: French