Uber den Künstler

Claude Galle was born in Villepreux near Versailles. He moved to Paris to begin an apprenticeship under the fondeur Pierre Foy. In 1784, Galle married Foy’s daughter and when Foy himself passed away in 1788, it was Galle who took over his workshop and built it up into one of the finest of his kind, employing about 400 craftsmen. In 1805, Galle moved his business to Quai de la Monnaie, and operated from 60 Rue Vivienne.

In 1786 he had already became a Maître-Fondeur, and in 1786-1788 he gained the first of many commissions from the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, under Jean Hauré. He is known to have collaborated with Thomire, and was responsible for the majority of bronzes d’ameublement supplied during the Empire to Château de Fontainebleau. His other Imperial commissions include the supply of numerous vases, ewers, figural clocks, light fittings, for a number of other French Châteaux, as well as Italian palaces. Despite his popularity, Galle was often in debt because of a lavish lifestyle and the failure of many of his clients to actually pay him. After Galle’s death his workshop was continued by his son, Gérard-Jean Galle (1788-1846). His work can be found among the world’s finest collections, such as those of Musée National de Château de Malmaison and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

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