Simon Guillain

Simon Guillain, called Gigantibus or de Gigante (Paris, 1581 - Paris, 1658), was a French sculptor.

Biography

He approached sculpting thanks to the teachings of his father Nicolas, perfecting later at the Academy of court.

His stay in Rome at the beginning of the seventeenth century reinforced his interest in art, which Guillain expressed in works of great importance, such as the two statues of Saint Gervasius and Protasius for the church of Saint Gervais in Paris, some marble statues for the church of the Sorbonne, the Mausoleum of Charlotte Catherine, widow of the prince of Condé in the convent of the Daughters of the Ave Maria.

The work consisted of a double architectural order and was decorated with coats of arms, trophies, animal and human figures as a corollary to the main bronze statues of Louis XIII of France, Queen Anne of Austria, and Louis XIV of France as an infant.

Guillain drew characters that he admired.