The Lucas Family and Their Pupils
The Lucas family was a very prominent dynasty of artists in Toulouse from the 17th Century to the beginning of the 19th. Pierre, the father (1692-1752), was a pupil of Rivalz and a fellow student of Subleyras and Ambroise Crozat. A renowned sculptor and founder member of Royal Academy of Art in Toulouse, Pierre Lucas is nevertheless not as well known as his son, François (1736-1813).
He was the most famous sculptor in Toulouse in his day. He trained at the Academy then taught there, passing on his knowledge to Jean-Pierre Vigan (Portrait de Lucas) and Bernard Lange, who both subsequently perpetuated his memory.
He was proficient in all styles, accepting commissions from the Magistrates for works such as Louis XVI prenant la ville de Toulouse sous sa protection, and from the Languedoc states and rich private owners (Le Président Roux de Puyvert and Louis XVI transformé en Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau, commissioned by the Academy of Science). The Museum also owns works by him such as Apollon and L'enfant au bélier, and has recently acquired the Guerrier à l'antique.
Jean-Paul, the younger brother of François, chose to paint rather than sculpt but he is best remembered for being one of the most ardent promoters of the future Museum of Toulouse, together with his brother. This was the museum that opened in the Augustine monastery on 17 August 1795, and it was Jean-Paul Lucas who produced the first catalogue of their collections.
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