Jean-Joseph Perraud: The Sculptor of Imperial Grace Jean-Joseph Perraud (1819 – 1876) stands as a prominent figure in French academic sculpture during the Second Empire, an era characterized by grandeur and artistic patronage. Born in Jura, France, he emerged from a lineage steeped in artistic tradition—his father was also a sculptor—and quickly demonstrated exceptional talent, securing admission to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the tutelage of Étienne Jules Ramé and Auguste Alexandre Dumont, co-winners of the Prix de Rome in 1847. This prestigious scholarship propelled him into th…