François-Raoul Larche (1860-1912)
Raoul Larche (known as François-Raoul Larche ) was born to Guillaume Larche, a sculptor specialising in ornamentation and cabinetry, and Thérèse Lansade; he grew up in a family steeped in artistry. His brother, Édouard Larche, also pursued a creative path as an architect.
After attending the National School of Decorative Arts, Raoul was accepted into the prestigious National School of Fine Arts in Paris, where he studied under renowned sculptors such as François Jouffroy, Auguste Dumont, Alexandre Falguière, Jean-Léon Gérôme, and Eugène Delaplanche. Larche made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1884 and exhibited regularly until 1911. In 1886, he earned the second Grand Prix de Rome for sculpture with his piece Tobie removing the fish from the water. Over the years, he won numerous accolades, including a third-class medal in 1890, a first-class medal in 1893, a gold medal at the 1900 Universal Exhibition, and the prestigious Medal of Honor in 1910.
One of Larche’s most famous works is the Loïe Fuller Lamp (1901), a gilded bronze piece housed in the Bayerisches National Museum in Munich. Inspired by the American dancer Loïe Fuller, this lamp is a stunning example of his break from academic traditions, securing his place among sculptors of the Art Nouveau movement. His works ranged from art objects and decorative pieces in bronze and pewter—such as lamps, vases, chandeliers, and decorative cups—many of which were produced by the Siot-Decauville art foundry in Paris. Larche also created religious statues, including Joan of Arc for the Church of Gagny and Saint Anthony for the Church of Saint-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts in Paris.
Francois-Raoul Larche Bronze Figure previously sold by Jacksons Antique
A respected figure in the art community, Larche served as a juror for the École des Beaux-Arts and the Salon des Artistes Français, joining the Société des Artistes Français committee in 1904. On May 16, 1910, he was appointed an Officer of the Legion of Honor. Though his studio was located at 6 Rue Mornay in Paris, Larche frequently resided in Seine-et-Oise, in Coubron, where his house still stands. Tragically, on June 3, 1912, Larche was struck by a car while walking arm-in-arm with a friend in Lagny. He was rushed to a health facility in Paris but succumbed to his injuries that same evening. After a funeral service at the Notre-Dame-d’Auteuil church, he was buried in Coubron. His grave is marked by a reproduction of one of his sculptures, and a memorial featuring his bronze group, Les Faunes, was erected in the town hall park. The municipality of Coubron also houses several of Larche’s works, including Bust of Mrs. Larche, Ephebe, and Oreste.
In 1920, the Salon des Artistes Français held a retrospective exhibition of Larche’s work at the Grand Palais in Paris. His widow later offered to donate his works to the city of Bordeaux, with the condition that a dedicated Raoul Larche room be created in the Museum of Fine Arts. The room was inaugurated on December 5, 1921, but was removed in the early 1930s as Art Nouveau fell out of favour with museum curators. On June 14, 1937, the contents of Larche’s studio were auctioned at the Drouot Hotel in Paris and in his honour, a square in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, as well as avenues in Coubron and Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, bear his name.