Pierre Victor Dautel 1873-1951

Born in Valenciennes, the hometown of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, Pierre-Victor Dautel received his first artistic training from his father, the architect Pierre Joseph Dautel (1841–1906), a former student of Hyppolite Lebas. Originally intended for a career in architecture, he began his studies at the Beaux-Arts of Valenciennes, where he studied under Émile Dusart and the sculptor Charles-Édouard Maugendre-Villers. Recognizing his pupil’s talent, Dusart guided the young artist toward sculpture.

Admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Dautel joined the studios of Louis-Ernest Barrias and Jules Coutan. Following an exemplary academic career, he won the First Grand Prix de Rome in 1902 and became a resident at the Villa Medici until December 1905. On the advice of sculptor Félix-Alexandre Desruelles, also from Valenciennes, he specialized in medal engraving, achieving great success. In addition to numerous plaquettes and medals commemorating historical events, he produced over three hundred portraits, describing himself as “the humble secretary of History[1].”

A regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Français, Dautel won a third-class medal in 1907, a second-class medal in 1910, a gold medal in 1913, and a medal of honor in 1927, before being named Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1929.

[1] Langlade, Émile. “Pierre Dautel.” In Artistes de mon temps, vol. IV, 91. Arras: Éditions I.N.S.A.P., 1938.