Guillaume Coustou the Younger (1716-1777)

Guillaume Coustou the Younger, the royal sculptor who created works for Versailles and the Parisian churches, appears in this 1758 portrait at the Louvre. Portraits of fellow artists formed a significant category in French eighteenth-century painting, documenting the creative community that served the crown. Coustou"s father and uncle were also celebrated sculptors, making the family name synonymous with royal sculpture. Drouais was among the most successful portraitists of pre-Revolutionary France, working in the tradition of his father Hubert Drouais and studying under Carle van Loo, Natoire, and Boucher before establishing himself at court.

The artist-sitter portrait allows Drouais to present a fellow creative professional with the respect due to an established academician. The sculptor may be shown with references to his craft—modeling tools, a finished work—that identify his profession. The palette is somewhat less formal than royal portraits, reflecting the artistic world"s more relaxed conventions. The face receives careful characterization that aims to convey the intelligence and creative vitality of a working artist.