Marcel Renard

Discover Marcel Renard, master of Lyon Art Deco sculpture—from medals to monuments—in this richly illustrated tribute to his architectural collaborations and timeless artistic legacy.

Marcel Renard (1893–1974), who came from a family of sculptors, is one of the leading figures in Lyon’s Art Deco sculpture scene. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and later in Paris, notably under Alfred Boucher and Auguste Patey, and won the Second Grand Prix de Rome in 1923. His work, ranging from medals to monumental sculptures, is characterized by a love of movement and a pursuit of simple forms, following in the tradition from Donatello to Joseph Bernard. La Soie (1924) fully exemplifies this aesthetic. An active figure in Lyon’s artistic life, he wrote for Le Salut public (1918–1920) and collaborated closely with artists such as Touchargues. His work with architects such as Michel Roux-Spitz, Trévoux, and Feuillastre led him to contribute to numerous buildings—the Lyon Post Office, the Kitchener Bridge, the Weitz Villa, and the Lycée Lumière—as part of the “1% Artistic” program. He also created commemorative monuments, such as the one honoring the Lafayette Escadrille in Marnes-la-Coquette, and became a prolific medalist for the Monnaie de Paris.

Text in English and French.