A forgotten French sculptor from the late 19th century is finally receiving renewed attention more than 80 years after her artistic legacy was largely overlooked. Jeanne Jozon, who trained at the École nationale des Beaux-Arts de Bourges, left behind a considerable body of work spanning multiple mediums, materials, and genres, yet her contributions to art history have been largely forgotten alongside many other female artists of her era.
The rediscovery of Jozon's work brings to light a glowing 1895 review that predicted her future fame. Writing about the Paris Salon exhibition, Henri Bernard, a literature professor at Saint-Louis High School, was deeply moved by encountering her terracotta bust titled "Femme empire" (Empire Woman). His critique captured the essence of her artistry in vivid detail.
"There is in a corner of the Salon a work quite modest in appearance and dimensions, a simple small bust of an Empire woman, in terracotta, signed with a maiden name, Mademoiselle Jozon, a name unknown until this day... and for which I would gladly give many of these big machines exhibited with great fanfare," Bernard wrote. He continued his praise, noting "There is in all this work a harmonious and discreet elegance, a grace somewhat sickly and sad, a feeling for art so deep and so intense that it is an exquisite statuette."
Bernard's prescient words proved prophetic: "Remember this maiden name well: you will see that one day or another, it will be famous." The review likely filled Jozon with immense pride, and she presumably shared the glowing critique with her uncle, Gustave Lacan, by mailing him the article shortly after reading it.
Jozon's artistic talents were indeed recognized during her lifetime and immediately following her death. Her work gained significant acknowledgment through a tribute exhibition held at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1947, cementing her reputation in the art world of that time.
However, despite this early recognition and her substantial artistic output, Jozon's legacy has suffered the same fate as many female artists of her generation. "This artist, who left a considerable body of work, working with all supports, all materials and all genres, was recognized during her lifetime and in the aftermath of her death... But for eighty years, her artistic heritage has been largely forgotten, like many women artists of her time," notes Pierre Allorant, highlighting the broader pattern of overlooking women's contributions to art history.
The renewed interest in Jozon's work represents part of a larger effort to rediscover and celebrate female artists whose contributions have been marginalized or forgotten over time. Her training at the prestigious École nationale des Beaux-Arts de Bourges and the quality of work that so impressed critics like Henri Bernard suggest that her artistic legacy deserves the recognition that Bernard predicted more than a century ago.
