Bust of the Count of Buffon at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

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Buffon, a prominent botanist of the Enlightenment era, rivaled Voltaire in fame during his lifetime. Houdon captures him in an antique style, with a rounded truncation of the naked torso, a technique he pioneered with Diderot's bust. The portrait exudes a vitality that accentuates Buffon's intellectual and physical vigor at 74 years old. Georges Louis Leclerc, Count de Buffon, received his title from King Louis XV in 1771, and he was appointed Keeper of the Jardin du Roi, the king's botanical garden, in 1739. From 1744 to 1788, he penned his monumental Histoire naturelle, genérale et particulière, which comprehensively covered the mineral world and the animal kingdom. As a man of the Enlightenment, Buffon believed scientific knowledge should be based on experimentation. The publication of Epoques de la nature in 1779, written in a clear, noble style, earned him admiration from educated circles across Europe, including several monarchs. Empress Catherine II of Russia considered Buffon equal to Newton and commissioned Houdon to sculpt a marble bust of the naturalist. Melchior Grimm, a friend of Diderot who informed European courts about intellectual developments in Paris, acted as her intermediary. In 1782, the portrait was sent to Saint Petersburg and installed in the Hermitage Museum. Buffon, too old to travel, delegated his son to take it there for him. A marble copy, probably the Louvre sculpture in veined marble, was presented at the 1783 Salon. The prominent portraitists of the era had already depicted the scientist: François-Hubert Drouais painted him in 1761, Jean-Baptiste Defernex sculpted him in 1772, and Augustin Pajou, First Sculptor to the King, portrayed him in 1776. The latter received a commission from the Directorate of the King's Buildings for a monumental full-length statue, depicting Buffon as a draped nude gazing down over the animal kingdom. He created three busts from it, featuring different costumes, including one in contemporary attire (Louvre). Houdon also portrayed Buffon in the antique style, with a naked torso whose rounded truncation cuts off at the shoulders. He had already employed this technique for his busts of Voltaire and Diderot (Louvre). While Pajou aimed to convey Buffon's genius, Houdon shows the man. Although he has not idealized the 74-year-old scientist, his powerful face and neck give him a vigorous appearance. Without a wig, his natural hair is curled at the temples and tied in a bow. The complete absence of accessories allows one to focus on the face. The scientist's authority and intellect are conveyed by the almost haughty way he holds his head, his noble, prominent forehead, and his keen eye. The bust appears animated: the head pivots to the left (accentuating the neck tendon) and the lips are half open, as if he were about to speak. The work met with great success, prompting Houdon to reproduce it in various materials, including one in contemporary attire, with his shirt open at the neck. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)