The sculptor Charles Despiau was born in Mont-de-Marsan, Landes, in 1874 and passed away in Paris in 1946.
He studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
From 1907 to 1917, he worked as Rodin’s assistant, gaining mastery over sculptural techniques. However, he developed his own style which, in contrast to his master’s romanticism, tends toward Classicism, aligning him more closely with Maillol. He is primarily known for his portraits, in which he often required the sitter to pose up to 60 times in order to capture their psychological characteristics. His work in book illustration is also noteworthy, such as for Baudelaire’s ‘Les Fleurs du mal’ (1933), as are his particularly interesting sketches for sculptures.