Emmanuel Villanis

French, 1858-1914. Emmanuel Villanis was a prominent sculptor famous for his small-scale bronze figurines that combined traditional Neoclassical style with Art Nouveau lines. The sculptor was born on December 12, 1858, in Lille in France. Villanis went on to study at the Accademia Albertina, Turin, from 1871 until 1880 under the guidance of his teacher Odoardo Tabacchi. After graduating, Emmanuel Villanis showed his work in multiple Italian cities. A few prominent examples of this time include an 1881 Alda bust exhibited in Milan. Later, in 1885, he settled in Paris and soon became a well-known sculptor during the late 19th century. Here, Villanis showed at the Salon des Artistes, a prominent exhibition for the sculptor, which gained many commissions.

From 1886 to 1910, the sculptor also took part at the Salon 11 times. He exhibited 17 sculptures like the Nerina busts at the 1887 Salon, Galatee at the 1894 Salon, Mignon at the 1896 Salon, and Judith at the 1898 Salon. Emmanuel Villanis's sculptures often depicted female figures featuring especially mythological subjects and floral decorations. Emmanuel Villanis's sculptures at auction often portrayed ideas of eroticism with his sensual and ecstatically modeled nudes. Emmanuel Villanis's sculptures involved female bronze models made by the Society de Bronze de Paris and were shipped globally from Paris, especially to United Stated. The sculptor also earned an Honourable Mention in 1892 for his two maquette sculptures.

Villanis was a famous bust producer throughout his career and relished an international reputation for his art. His sculptures are known for capturing the realism of his subjects and are often sought after by collectors. The artist died while living in Paris in France on August 28, 1914. Today, Emmanuel Villanis's sculpture for sale often comes up at online auctions.