Richmond s'enrichit d'une terre cuite du XVIIIe siècle
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond has acquired a rare 18th-century terracotta sculpture by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Boudard. A winner of the Grand Prix de Sculpture in 1732, Boudard spent much of his career in Italy serving the court of Philip of Bourbon in Parma, which contributed to his relative obscurity in his native France despite his significant contributions to Roman and Parmese landmarks.
This acquisition is significant as it highlights a neglected figure of the Enlightenment era whose works are increasingly rare on the market. By bringing a piece of Boudard’s delicate terracotta work into a major American public collection, the museum aids in the scholarly rediscovery of a sculptor whose legacy was partially obscured by the loss of his French commissions and his expatriate career.