Biography

Léonard Agathon van Weydeveldt (Lille 1841 - 1923 Paris)

Elegance in Ceramics and Bronze

The young Léonard Agathon van Weydeveldt, born in Lille, Belgium, in 1841, received his training at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Lille and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He is also known to have been an apprentice to Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux and to have participated in the construction of the 'Fontaine de l'Observatoire' (also: 'Fontaine de Quatre Parties du Monde'), in Paris (1867- 1874). As he had fought on the French side in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, the Belgian, who had lived in Paris since 1867, received French citizenship in 1887.In 1894 he began working with the Sèvres porcelain manufactory. In 1897 he created the first models for the 'Jeu de l'Echarpe' centrepiece, and in 1900 the bisquit porcelain version was presented on the porcelain manufactory's stand at the World's Fair in Paris. Léonard received the gold medal for it. In 1901, the bronze foundry Susse Frères took part in the exhibition of the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts with the bronze version of the Jeu de l'Echarpe. The last three figures of the 15-piece centrepiece were added in 1902 at the latest. Despite numerous other designs of the highest quality, the centrepiece was to become Léonard's most famous work. Léonard died in Paris in 1923.

From 1879 to 1914 he regularly took part in exhibitions and received various awards, for example at the World's Fair in Paris in 1889 and in Brussels in 1910.

We regularly sell objects by Léonard Agathon in our auctions. If you would like to sell your objects, our experts are at your disposal.

Objects by Agathon Léonard