Sculptor of mythological, legendary, and archetypal figures.

Emmanuel Villanis was a French sculptor of Italian origin, renowned for his expressive bronze sculptures and his significant contribution to the Art Nouveau movement. Born in Lille in 1858 to an Italian family, he returned to Italy with his parents in 1861, settling in Piedmont to escape the unrest of the War of Independence. In 1871, Villanis entered the Accademia Albertina in Turin, where he studied under the esteemed sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi (1831–1905). Encouraged by his mentor, Villanis exhibited early works—such as the bust Alda—in Milan by 1881.

By 1885, Villanis had relocated to Montmartre in Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life. He soon gained recognition for his prolific output of female figures. Many of his best-known sculptures—Aida, Judith, Delilah, Lucrecia, Cinderella—were inspired by heroines from opera, mythology, literature, and the Bible. He also created emblematic types such as the Parisienne, the Bohemian, and the Lady of the Manor, as well as allegorical works like Painting and Sculpture.

Primarily working in bronze, Villanis occasionally employed the chryselephantine technique, combining bronze (or alabaster) with ivory. His sculptures reflect the Art Nouveau aesthetic, visible in the elegant lettering of titles and the refined patinas that enhanced the soft, fluid quality of his forms. This attention to detail and decorative finesse helped distinguish him among the leading sculptors of his era.

Between 1886 and 1910, Villanis exhibited eleven times at the Salon des Artistes Français. He also participated in the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris and the 1903 World’s Fair in Chicago. Villanis’ work remains a quintessential expression of turn-of-the-century French decorative sculpture, celebrated for its elegance, symbolism, and technical sophistication.

Literature :

• BENEZIT, E. Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs. Paris: Librairie Gründ, 1999. Vol.14. p. 245.

• KJELLBERG, P. Les Bronzes du XIXe Siècle, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs. Paris : Les éditions de l’amateur, 1989. p. 641-644.