Coustou, Family

COUSTOU, FAMILY. - A family of French sculptors. NICOLA, born at Lyons on 8 Jan. 1658, died at Paris on 1 May 1773, was a pupil of his uncle A. Coysevox, but also studied at Rome, whence he returned to Paris, where, besides his work at the Trianon and at Versailles, his principal achievement is to be seen in the part he played, together with his brother Guglielmo and his uncle Coysevox, in the so-called “vow of Luigi XIII” in the choir of Notre-Dame, where the group of the Deposition (1725) is still his work. GUGLIELMO, brother of the preceding, born at Lyons on 25 Apr. 1677, died at Paris on 2 Feb. 1746. Also a pupil of his uncle Coysevox, he studied at Rome, where he collaborated with Le Gros on the relief of St. Luigi Gonzaga in S. Ignazio. This Roman sojourn undoubtedly helped to confirm him in a Berninesque taste, which is reflected also in the expressive immediacy of his portraits and in the broad poses of his figures, among which particular mention should be made of those arranged along the balustrade of the chapel at Versailles. GUGLIELMO THE YOUNGER, born at Paris on 19 March 1716, died there on 13 July 1777, likewise studied at Rome. At Paris he collaborated with his father and subsequently produced many decorative sculptures for villas and gardens, among which Mars and Venus for the residence of Sans-souci, now in Berlin, acquired great fame.