François Lays
François Lay, better known under the stage name Lays (14 February 1758 – 30 March 1831), was a French baritone and tenor opera singer. Originally destined for a career in the church, Lays was recruited by the Paris Opéra in 1779. He soon became a leading member of the company, in spite of quarrels with the management. Lays enthusiastically welcomed the French Revolution and became involved in politics with the encouragement of his friend Bertrand Barère. Barère's downfall led to Lays being imprisoned briefly, but he soon won back the public and secured the patronage of Napoleon, at whose coronation and second wedding he sang. This association with the Emperor caused him trouble when the Bourbon monarchy was restored and Lays's final years were darkened by disputes over his pension, mounting debts, the death of his only son and his wife's illness. After a career spanning more than four decades, he died in poverty.
List of works by François Rude
Famous above all for the iconic sculpture "La Marseillaise" on the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile, François Rude was born in Dijon on 4 January 1781, the son of a coppersmith/locksmith. Apprenticed to his father, an injury made him unsuitable for forge-work, leading to his attending François Devosges's famous École de Dessin in Dijon where he was soon to show his artistic talent. He developed a relationship with Louis Frémiet, under whose patronage he began to study in 1805 with Pierre Cartellier in Paris at the studio of Edme Gaulle. By 1809 his work began to be noticed, winning him several awards. In 1815, having saved enough money, he left Paris for Rome, but due to political conditions, he ended up in Brussels once again living with the Frémiets. Whilst in Brussels he married Sophie Frémiet, an accomplished painter and they were to become a formidable force in the art world. In Brussels he executed his first bust of Louis David, gaining him much notice. They returned to Paris in 1827 where they remained until his death on 3 November 1855.