The Workshop of a Master Sculptor at the Palais de Chaillot

Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume made a name for himself in the 19th century thanks to his sculpting and metalworking talents. As a youth, the gifted Geoffroy-Dechaume trained at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts school in Paris. He learned his craft under some of the great masters of the time, including David d'Angers.

In addition to creating art objects, Geoffroy-Dechaume also had a knack for restoring medieval art and monuments. As a result, he contributed to the restoration of several Parisian monuments, such as the Sainte-Chapelle on the Ile de la Cité and the famous Notre Dame cathedral.

For those who wish to discover some of Geoffroy-Dechaume's works, the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, a museum dedicated to French architecture, is organizing an exhibition devoted to the artist. The exhibition is entitled 'In the Privacy of the Studio of Geoffroy-Dechaume (1816-1892), Romantic Sculptor' and it will run from April 24 until July 22, 2013.

For guests staying at one of the Sister Hotels Champs-Elysées, the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine is conveniently located in the Palais Chaillot, a monument right on the Trocadéro square. The exhibit on Geoffroy-Dechaume enables visitors to completely immerse themselves in the sculptor's workshop, an experience that reveals the creative vision of the inventive and prolific artist.

The diversity of the art objects that are presented by the exhibition demonstrates the various steps in Geoffroy-Dechaume's process — including the creation of sketches, models, photographs, waxes, molds and casts. As a special feature, the exhibition will also reveal a never-before-seen watercolor self-portrait of the celebrated poet Charles Baudelaire. This work was found in the workshop of Geoffroy-Dechaume and offers further proof of the artist's ties to the creative world in 19th century France.