Auguste Nicolas Trémont was a Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

ian sculptor. He specialised in sculpture

Sculpture

Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...

s of animals, with a particular emphasis on big cat

Big cat

The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...

s.

Life

After spending his childhood in Luxembourg, Auguste Trémont moved to Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 where he enrolled at the Ecole des Arts décoratifs

École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs

The École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs is a public university of art and design and is one of the most prestigious French grande école...

 in 1909. World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 caught him by surprise while he was visiting Luxembourg. As he tried to make his way back to Paris by passing through Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, he was arrested by German forces near the Swiss border and was imprisoned. Once released from detention, he returned to Luxembourg where he remained until the end of the war in 1918, working in a steel factory in Dudelange

Dudelange

Dudelange is a commune with city status in southern Luxembourg. It is the fourth-most populous commune, with over 18,300 inhabitants. Dudelange is situated close to the border to France....

. This work gave him the opportunity to practice his skills by drawing pictures of steel workers in action; he also befriended future Arbed

Arbed

ARBED was a major Luxembourg-based steel and iron producing company. Created in 1911 after the merger of three steel producing companies, ARBED was a major actor in the economic history of the Grand-Duchy until it merged in 2002 with two other European steel companies to create Arcelor.- Origins ...

 president Aloyse Meyer.

At the end of the war, Trémont returned to Paris where he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. He first specialized in portraits and pictures of Paris. This changed when he visited the Jardin des Plantes

Jardin des Plantes

The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France. It is one of seven departments of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. It is situated in the 5ème arrondissement, Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine and covers 28 hectares .- Garden plan :The grounds of the Jardin des...

, the zoological gardens, where he found the subjects that were to become his main area of specialization: animals. Later in his life, when asked why he chose to represent animals, he replied: “because it was the most difficult task”.

In 1924, Trémont made his first sculptures, and he subsequently developed his skills as a sculptor by creating animal sculptures in a variety of sizes and species. The late 1920s-early 1930s were his most productive years; it is during this period that he sculpted, in Paris, two large lions that now decorate the entrance of the Luxembourg City Hall

Luxembourg City Hall

Luxembourg City Hall is the city hall of Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The city hall is the centre of local government, including being used as the private office of the Mayor of Luxembourg City. Due to its position in Luxembourg's capital, it also regularly plays host to foreign...

. He spent World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 in Paris, and returned to Luxembourg at the end of the war where he created monuments for the victims of the war.

Trémont's work was made available to the public through the Ruhlmann art gallery, then later Edgar Brandt and Malesherbes art galleries. His work is also represented on numerous Luxembourgian stamps.

Major works

Works by Trémont adorn some of the most prominent buildings in his hometown of Luxembourg City, including Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg

Notre-Dame Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It was originally a Jesuit church, and its cornerstone was laid in 1613....

 and Luxembourg City Hall

Luxembourg City Hall

Luxembourg City Hall is the city hall of Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The city hall is the centre of local government, including being used as the private office of the Mayor of Luxembourg City. Due to its position in Luxembourg's capital, it also regularly plays host to foreign...

. He also created sculptures for the Luxembourgian pavilions at the Brussels 1935 and Paris 1937

Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937)

The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne was held from May 25 to November 25, 1937 in Paris, France...

 World's Fair

World's Fair

World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...

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• 1924: Chimpanzee
• Panther, Couple of Royal Tigers
• 1926-1932: Black Panther, Turning Panther, Serval, Tiger, Elephant, Walking Tiger, Lion, Bison
• 2 lions (Luxembourg City town hall)
• 1932: Côte d'Ivoire Dwarf Buffalo
• Couple of Royal Tigers, Stag (purchased by the City of Paris)
• 1935: Miners (Luxembourgian pavilion of the Brussels World Fair)
• 1936: Religious scenes (Luxembourg Cathedral)
• 1937: Hind (Luxembourgian pavilion of the Paris World Fair)
• 1945: Liberation medal
• Monument to the Dead (Differdange)
• Monument to Dead Soldiers