Jean-Baptiste Giraud (Aix-en-Provence 1752-1830)
A highly skilled sculptor, Giraud was greatly admired by his contemporaries. Jacques Louis David, in a letter of recommendation to Wicar dated 17th September 1789, introduces his friend Giraud to Wicar who was then living in Florence: ‘C’est celui qui vient de faire chez nous une figure de réception représentant Achille…Cette figure l’a fait recevoir tout blanc…C’est certainement la première figure et le premier sculpteur chez nous ; c’est le seul qui tient réellement de l’antique et qui soit réellement savant [He is the one back at home (in France) who just made a sculpture representing Achilles for his ‘réception’…As a result of this figure he was unanimously accepted (into the Académie) … Certainly it is the best sculpture and he is the best sculptor we have at the moment ; he is the only one who really understands the antique and who is really knowledgable].
