Non-Academic Sculptors in Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV (1664-1715)

Little studied until now, many non-academic sculptors were involved in the works at Versailles under Louis XIV. Using the accounts of the Batiments du Roi it has been possible to quantify and define the activity of this diverse group of artists, which became gradually more significant during the seventeenth century. From the first commissions, such as the Grande Commande of 1674 to the final project of the royal chapel, they moved from marginal figures to the most important group of artists in terms of numbers. Though these sculptors worked mostly on ornaments - whereas the academicians dominated figurative sculpture in the round - some managed to sculpt figures in marble, a material guarantee of their talent. Their versatility enabled them to evolve their practice according to the needs of the time. The relationship between project managers and the sculptors was also one of the paths to prestigious royal commissions.