The most prominent French sculptor in the early neoclassical period was Étienne Maurice Falconet (1716-1791).
whose work included the heroic statue of Peter the Great on horseback in Saint Petersburg, Russia  (model made in 1770, but not cast until 1782).
He was named professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris in 1766, and from 1757 onward he directed the modeling of small sculptures in porcelain at the Sèvres Porcelain manufactory.
His work remained closer to the statues in full movement of the French baroque than the new, more serene style.
In his later years he designed small ornamental sculptures of cast bronze such as the Seated Girl (1788), now in the Metropolitan Museum.

The first more clearly neoclassical major figure was Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828).
 He studied at the French Academy in Rome, where he made detailed studies of the anatomy of the ancient Roman and Greek statues on display there.
He became famous for his busts and portrait sculptures, most notably his seated statue of Voltaire (1779–81), now on display at the Comedie Française, and his busts of Benjamin Franklin and other political figures of the day.
He also created several allegorical works illustrating winter and summer in a style entirely more expressive than traditional classicism, such as his La Frileuse (woman in winter), in the Musée Fabre in Montpellier.

The sculptor Claude Michel (1738-1814), also known as Clodion, also studied at the Academy in Rome between 1762 and 1771.
His works varied widely from neoclassical to rococo; he conceived a terra-cotta model for an extraordinary monumental sculpture, covered with statuary of angels and cupids, to celebrate the first balloon flight in Paris (1784).

Augustin Pajou (1730-1809) also studied at the French Academy in Rome from 1752 and 1756.
 He returned to Paris to teach at the Academy of Fine Arts, and became rector in 1792.
He made a series of highly expressive statues on mythological subjects, including Psyche and Amour.
The most prominent French sculptor in the early neoclassical period was Étienne Maurice Falconet (1716-1791). whose work included the heroic statue of Peter the Great on horseback in Saint Petersburg, Russia  (model made in 1770, but not cast until 1782). He was named professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris in 1766, and from 1757 onward he directed the modeling of small sculptures in porcelain at the Sèvres Porcelain manufactory. His work remained closer to the statues in full movement of the French baroque than the new, more serene style. In his later years he designed small ornamental sculptures of cast bronze such as the Seated Girl (1788), now in the Metropolitan Museum.
The first more clearly neoclassical major figure was Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828).  He studied at the French Academy in Rome, where he made detailed studies of the anatomy of the ancient Roman and Greek statues on display there. He became famous for his busts and portrait sculptures, most notably his seated statue of Voltaire (1779–81), now on display at the Comedie Française, and his busts of Benjamin Franklin and other political figures of the day. He also created several allegorical works illustrating winter and summer in a style entirely more expressive than traditional classicism, such as his La Frileuse (woman in winter), in the Musée Fabre in Montpellier.
The sculptor Claude Michel (1738-1814), also known as Clodion, also studied at the Academy in Rome between 1762 and 1771. His works varied widely from neoclassical to rococo; he conceived a terra-cotta model for an extraordinary monumental sculpture, covered with statuary of angels and cupids, to celebrate the first balloon flight in Paris (1784).
Augustin Pajou (1730-1809) also studied at the French Academy in Rome from 1752 and 1756.  He returned to Paris to teach at the Academy of Fine Arts, and became rector in 1792. He made a series of highly expressive statues on mythological subjects, including Psyche and Amour.
Neoclassicism in France