MAXIMILIEN-LOUIS FIOT

(Grand-Pressigny, 1886-1953, Corbeil)

Fiot brings instinct and movement to modern animal sculpture.

Maximilien-Louis Fiot, known as Maximilien Fiot, was a celebrated French sculptor whose bronze works exhibit a rare fusion of anatomical precision and expressive vitality. Born in Indre-et-Loire in 1886, Fiot trained under Prosper Lecourtier, refining a sculptural style deeply rooted in the animalier tradition, yet unmistakably modern in spirit.

He began exhibiting at the Paris Salon between 1910 and 1914, quickly gaining recognition. In 1911, he was awarded a third-class medal, followed by a second-class medal in 1923. As a prominent member of the Salon des Artistes Français, he became known for his naturalistic yet dynamic depictions of animals—from birds and domestic pets to wolves, deer, lions, and panthers.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who adopted more static or decorative approaches, Fiot’s work is characterized by movement and fluidity. His sculptures often portray animals mid-motion, breathing life into bronze with remarkable finesse. While his style resonates with the clean lines and formal simplification of early 20th-century sculpture, it avoids the rigidity often associated with Art Deco. Instead, Fiot’s bronzes radiate dynamic energy and focus on vitality over ornament.

Fiot also contributed to France’s commemorative sculpture movement during the interwar period. In 1930, he created The Lion Watching Over Children Fallen for the Fatherland, a powerful memorial erected in La Ferté-Alais, his mother’s hometown.

Today, Maximilien Fiot’s works are admired for their modern clarity, rhythmic composition, and emotional depth. His ability to convey instinct, tension, and grace through bronze continues to distinguish him as one of the most compelling animal sculptors of his generation.

Literature :

  • BENEZIT, E. Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs. Paris: Librairie Gründ, 1961. Vol.5. p. 475.

  • KJELLBERG, P. Les Bronzes du XIXe Siècle, Dictionnaire des sculpteurs. Les éditions de l’amateur, Paris, 1989. p. 316-318.