Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828) was renowned for his portraits and admired for his uncanny ability to capture the essence of his subject with an expression. Guilhem Scherf, chief curator at the Department of Sculptures at the Louvre, gives due recognition to this exceptional artist with a detailed presentation of the museum’s collection, impressive in both scope and quality. A number of Houdon’s works were exhibited in the national galleries of the Grand Palais as part of the “Portraits publics, portraits privés, 1770-1830” exhibition from October 5, 2006 to January 9, 2007.