Antoine and Pierre Bourdelle: Father-Son Beefcake Artists

Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) was a French sculptor known for sharing a studio with Rodin, and for his large-scale monuments, like the "Monument aux Combattants et Défenseurs du Tarn-et-Garonne de 1870–71, a battle in the Franco-Prussian War.

But he also had time for some male nudes, like "Heracles the Archer"  There are versions in France, Sweden, and the U.S.

The beefy Great Warrior of Montauban was taken from the Franco-Prussian War Memorial.  It's now in the sculpture garden at the Smithsonian.

His Apollo, receiving inspiration from theMuses, is a bas-relief on the exterior of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris.

His son Pierre (1901-1966) became an American citizen in 1927.  He was responsible for more large-scale monuments, like this nude art deco athlete at the Dallas Fair Pavilion.

This is Pierre's exotic South Pacific Orpheus (Eurydice is next to him), a wooden panel rescued from a theater in northern California.

Pierre was married twice, but divorced his wife within a few years both times.  Maybe ladies weren't his cup of tea.