Charles de Wailly at The Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, France

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Charles de Wailly was a renowned French architect, urban planner, and furniture designer who played a significant role in the Neoclassical revival of ancient architecture. His most notable work is the magnificent Théâtre de l'Odéon for the Comédie-Française, completed between 1779 and 1782. De Wailly's designs often featured perfect geometric forms, particularly the circle. Following his achievement in winning the prestigious Prix de Rome for architecture in 1752, de Wailly traveled to the French Academy in Rome, where he stayed for three years until 1755. During this time, he shared his prize with his close friend Pierre-Louis Moreau-Desproux and collaborated on excavations at the ancient Baths of Diocletian. In Rome, de Wailly formed a lasting friendship with the talented sculptor Augustin Pajou, who would later create a bust of him and his wife. In 1776, de Wailly designed a house adjacent to Pajou's own home in Paris. Augustin Pajou was an incredibly prolific artist who worked on various projects throughout his career, documenting the reigns of Louis XV and the French Revolution. He created numerous portraits of notable individuals, including the portrait of Charles de Wailly, a close friend and architect of the Odeon Theatre in Paris. The bust of Charles de Wailly housed at the Musée de Lille is an intimate representation of the subject, featuring a partially cloudy neck and both sides of his open fur jacket. The natural hair and contemporary clothing add to the realism of the portrait, emphasizing the truthfulness of the model. This sculpture is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory. This project aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, inviting individuals to contribute their own interesting items by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can help.