Victor Sappey

Victor Sappey
Born	(1801-02-11)11 February 1801 Grenoble, Isère, France
Died	23 March 1856(1856-03-23) (aged 55)
Other names	Pierre-Victor Sappey

Victor Sappey (11 February 1801, Grenoble - 23 March 1856), also known as Pierre-Victor Sappey, was a French sculptor.

Career

In 1824, Sappey worked in Nicolas Raggi's atelier in Paris before living in Egypt for two years with his friend Jean Achard and a group of St. Simonians. He was among the first sculptors to use cement as a sculptural material. This can be seen in the statue "Génie des Alpes" in Uriage-les-Bains; though the original was destroyed, a model is kept at Musée dauphinois. Sappey also founded the Grenoble School of Architectural Sculpture, which he directed until his death. In addition to his sculptures, Sappey was also known for his caricatures. ^[1]

Personal life

Sappey was a friend of Théodore Ravanat and Henri Fantin-Latour, and was close to all members of the École dauphinoise that he attended in Proveysieux. He was also the father-in-law of the Grenoble sculptor Aimé Charles Irvoy (1824–1898), who had once been his student. His father was a stonemason.

Selected works

In Grenoble, France

• "Le Drac" - terra cotta, 1833. It was named after the Drac. The Museum of Grenoble purchased it in 1856. ^[2]
• "Fontaine des dauphins" - stone. Also known as "Château d'eau de la Valette," this was erected as a tribute to former Grenoble mayor Marquis de Lavalette. The sculptor Nadon created the fountain while Sappey created the cherubs and dolphins. ^[3]
• "Le serpent et le dragon" - stone and bronze, 1843. This fountain, located near the Saint-Laurent Bridge, was created following severe flooding. The lion symbolizes the city defeating the snake, or the Isère River.
• Alexandre Michal-Ladichèr - plaster, 1836. Acquired by the Museum of Grenoble in 1885. ^[4]
• Self-portrait - terra cotta. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[5]
• Jacques de Vaucanson - plaster. Bust. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[6]
• Benjamin de Rolland - bronze. Medallion. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[7]
• "L'Enfant au poisson; La Pêche" - marble, 1849. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[8]
• "L'Isère" - terra cotta, 1835. Statuette. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[9]
• "La Mort de Lucrèce" - plaster, 1828. High-relief. At the Museum of Grenoble. ^[10]
• "Le Géant des Alpes" - cement. 5 metres (16 ft) statue. This was destroyed but the Musée dauphinois has a model.
• Louis-Joseph Vicat - 1855. Bust. At the Museum of Grenoble.
• Monument to General Marchand - 1851. Tombstone. At Saint Roch Cemetery. ^[11]
• Monument to Mrs Recoura - marble, 1855. Tombstone. At Saint Roch Cemetery. ^[12]

• 
  Le serpent et le dragon
• 
  Le serpent et le dragon
• 
  Fontaine des dauphins
• 
  Fontaine des dauphins
• 
  Mort de Lucrèce
• 
  Le Drac

Elsewhere

• Chambéry: "Fontaine des éléphants" - bronze and cast iron, 1838. This was erected in honour of General Benoît de Boigne, a generous donor to the town, and specifically references his achievements in India. ^[13]
• Uriage-les-Bains: "Fontaine de la nymphe" - stone, 1847. Also known as "Fontaine de la déesse Hygie." Depicts the goddess Hygieia. ^[14]
• Valence, Drôme: Statue Jean-Étienne Championnet - bronze, 1848. The monument was restored in 2002. ^[15]
• Voreppe: Amable Rome tombstones - stone. Tombstones created for Dr. Amable Rome and his son. ^[16]

• 
  Fontaine des éléphants
• 
  Fontaine des éléphants
• 
  Statue Jean Étienne Vachier Championnet
• 
  Le Géant des Alpes

References

1. "Le "cahier des charges" de Victor Sappey" (in French). Caricatures et caricature. 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2023-02-25. (2). On lui doit également, au cours de cette même année, la création de l'Ecole de sculpture architecturale de Grenoble dont il est le directeur jusqu'à sa mort.; Transl. Engl. (2). He is also responsible, during that same year, for the creation of the Grenoble School of Architectural Sculpture, of which he was the director until his death.
2. Base Joconde : Le Drac , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
3. "OU TROUVER UNE FONTAINE, BASSIN ET LAVOIR ANCIEN !! EN ISERE" (in French). Isere Annuaire. Archived from the original on 2006-09-03. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
4. "Alexandre Michal-Ladichèr". Musée de Grenoble. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
5. Base Joconde : Self-portrait , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
6. Base Joconde : Jacques de Vaucanson , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
7. Base Joconde : Portrait présumé de Benjamin Rolland , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
8. Base Joconde : L'Enfant au poisson , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
9. Base Joconde : "L'Isère" , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
10. Base Joconde : "La Mort de Lucrèce" , French Ministry of Culture . (in French)
11. "Monument to General Marchand". Art & Architecture. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
12. "Monument to Mrs Recoura". Art & Architecture. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
13. Perchet, Dominique (2015-10-20). "Fontaine de Boigne, ou Fontaine des éléphants – Chambéry" (in French). E-monumen. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25.
14. "Fontaine de la déesse Hygie à Saint-Martin-d'Uriage". Fiche détaillée petit patrimoine. Archived from the original on 2011-12-30.
15. Perchet, Dominique (2017-04-21). "Monument au général Championnet – Valence (sauvé)" (in French). E-monumen. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22.
16. Landru, Philippe (2009-08-26). "VOREPPE (38) : cimetière" (in French). Cimetières de France et d’ailleurs. Retrieved 2023-02-25.

• Maurice Wantellet, Deux siècles et plus de peinture dauphinoise, edited by the author