Le Marchand de masques, Bronze sculpture in Jardin du Luxembourg, France.
Le Marchand de masques is a bronze sculpture in the Jardin du Luxembourg that depicts a standing figure holding Victor Hugo's mask. Additional masks of notable figures encircle the base, functioning as a collection of important French personalities from the period.
Zacharie Astruc modelled Le Marchand de masques in 1883; the bronze was cast and acquired by the French state in 1886 for the Jardin du Luxembourg. The work pays homage to the cultural figures of his day through the masks gathered around the standing figure.
The sculpture displays masks of prominent French artists, writers, and musicians from the 19th century, including Delacroix, Balzac, and Berlioz. This arrangement honors significant cultural figures from an important period in French artistic life.
The sculpture stands along the main paths of the Jardin du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement and is accessible year-round. The garden is an open space where you can easily discover the bronze figure while walking and view it from different angles.
Originally, three additional masks representing Gambetta, Gounod, and Banville were attached to the figure's right side. These have come loose and disappeared over time, leaving the sculpture in its current incomplete state.
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