François-Léon Sicard

François-Léon Sicard (April 21, 1862-1934) is considered one of the more talented yet most elusive sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th century. His credits include work on the adornments of the Louvre, and numerous sculptures around the world.

Sicard was born in Tours, studied with Louis-Ernest Barrias, and is known for his lithography and his fiercely patriotic original works of art. Despite the prolific populace of noted works throughout Europe, surprisingly little is known about Sicard himself. His work is very similar to that of Gustave Crauk (1827-1920) and Antoine-Augustin Préault (1809-1879), and he may have worked in collaboration with Crauk on some of his sculptures during the early 20th century.

Some of his noted sculptures include:

• Le Bon Samaritain (The Good Samaritan)
• Oedipe et le Sphinx (Oedipus and the Sphinx)
• the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park, Sydney, Australia
• four atlantes for the Hôtel de ville in Tours, circa 1900, for architect Victor Laloux

References

• Daniel Cady Eaton, A Handbook of Modern French Sculpture, Dodd, Mead and Company, 1913, pages 273-274.