Jules Felix Coutan (French, 1848 to 1939)
Known for his classically inspired allegorical works, Jules Felix Coutan had a long and successful career as a sculptor and teacher. He studied under Pierre-Jules Cavelier (1814 to 1894) at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1871. He debuted in the Salon of 1876, where he won the gold medal. In 1881, Coutan’s proposed plans for a commemorative monument at Versailles were extraordinarily well received, and he was awarded the commission. Coutan was responsible for numerous public statues in Paris including those at the Courthouse, the City Hall, and the National Library. In 1889, he was one of the major contributors to the decorations of the Exposition Universalle and received a gold medal.
At the 1900 Exposition Universalle, Coutan was responsible for the large sandstone portico at the Sevres Factory Pavillion, now located in Felix-Desrvelles Square, and won the Grand Prix. That same year, Coutan was chosen as a replacement for Alexandre Falguiere (1831 to 1900) at the Academy of Beaux Arts. In 1905 he was named a professor at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, replacing Louis-Ernest Barrias (1841 to 1905). Coutan was a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor, and the Director of Manufacture for the Sevres Factory from 1891 to 1894.
Information courtesy of Neal Auction Company, October, 2008.