Just Becquet, 1829-1907
Nationality: French
Date of Birth: 28 February 1829
Place of Birth: Besancon
Place of Death: Paris
Identity:
A pupil of François Rude, the sculptor Just Becquet may have met Whistler as a student in Paris.
Life:
Whistler's etching of him, J. Becquet, Sculptor 062, dating from 1859 and showing him playing a cello, was included in the 1871 Thames Set as 'The Fiddler'. Pennell described him as living in his studio among 'disorder and his cello.' He is recorded as working as a 'sculpteur statuaire' at 83 Rue Enfer, Paris, from 1860-1866 and later at 27 Rue de la Procession. Many of his works were of allegorical figures or portrait busts. There are examples of his work in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris and the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Bibliography:
Bénézit, E., Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, 8 vols, 1956-61; Bottin, Sebastien, Almanach du Commerce de Paris ..., Paris; Lochnan, Katharine A., The Etchings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1984; Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, The Whistler Journal, Philadelphia, 1921; 'Just Becquet,' http://www.insecula.com (accessed 2004).