PILON, p«.'Iox'. GERMAIN (c.1535-90). A French sculptor of the High Renaissance. He was born in the Faubourg Saint Jacques, Paris. about 1535. as is known by a document of 1573. His father was a stone-cutter from whose instruc tion he passed to that of Pierre Bontemps. At the age of twenty-three he was engaged with Pierre Bontemps in the execution of a fine monu ment of Frallei. I. in the Church of Saint Denis. In 1561 was undertaken the extremely im portant group in the Louvre of three Grace: supporting a bronze vase. which formerly con tained the heart of Henry 11. After the year 1565 Pilon was much occupied with the decora tion of the monument of Henry H. in Saint Denis. All the sculpture of this monument was formerly attributed to him. hut it is now known that only the kneeling statue of the Queen and the reclining statue of the King are his. Other equally fine work on this monument is by Fretnyn Roussel. Laurent Regnaublin. Dominique Floren
tin. and Girolamo della Rohbia. One of the most charming of the work- attributed to Pilon is the mantel now in the Louvre which formerly stood in the I. hateatt of Villeroy. In 1571 he had lodgings in the 11..0'1 de Nesle and a--isted in arranging the triumphal entry of miles I \. into Paris. In 1.173 he was appointed general of the coinage. It is supposed that he made the great bronze medals of the V;illois, the interesting of ‘‘Iiich are tl.ose of Catharine de' Nledici and Henry Ill. In 15h7 he made the monument of the Alibi'. Joseph for a ehapel of !saint, I;eneviiNve in Paris. Pilo] died February 5. 1590. His reputation as a seulptor of the nigh Renaissance in France is second only to that of (:oujon. Consult: 1-ami. Ilictiomn,,ire N soolpt. tirs francoig (Paris, I :Oh l'a ulst re, /.o keno/ NMI )111' Pruner (0).. .