Author of the equestrian Joan of Arc on the place Saint-Augustin and of the tomb of General Lamoricière, he directed the École des beaux-arts from 1878 until his death, twenty-seven years later. He sculpted his own tomb himself — a rare case, statuaries being usually covered by the work of a colleague.
The story
Paul Dubois carved his own tomb. The case is rare: at Père-Lachaise the statuaries usually lie beneath the work of a colleague — Cavelier beneath Fagel's, Cartellier beneath that of his son-in-law Petitot.
Born at Nogent-sur-Seine on 18 January 1829, he read law before choosing the chisel, entered the Beaux-Arts in the studio of Armand Toussaint and left for Rome at his own expense. He signed the equestrian Joan of Arc on the Place Saint-Augustin, in Paris — one of the most looked-at figures in the city — and the tomb of General Lamoricière at Nantes, one of the great funerary monuments of the century.
From 1878 to 1905 Paul Dubois directed the École nationale des beaux-arts, where he succeeded the sculptor Eugène Guillaume: twenty-seven years, until his death, one of the longest directorships in the school's history.
The bronze statue he carved for his own tomb is of his mother. Claudine Sophie Dubois, née Guillaume, died in Paris on 25 February 1834: he was five. Seventy-one years later he came to lie beneath her.
The grave
A tomb sculpted by the dead man himself — a rare case at Père-Lachaise, where sculptors usually rest beneath the work of a colleague, like Cavelier beneath Fagel's or Cartellier beneath that of his son-in-law Petitot. The inscription is a family one: “Famille Paul DUBOIS. Ici reposent Claudine Sophie DUBOIS née GUILLAUME décédée à Paris le 25 février 1834.” — here rest Claudine Sophie Dubois, née Guillaume, died in Paris on 25 February 1834. That date precedes his death by seventy-one years: the sculptor joined a tomb opened before his birth.
On site, do not miss
The monument is by his own hand. Look for the oldest date on the stone: 1834, seventy-one years before his death.
Visitors' questions
Where is Paul Dubois's grave?
In Division 9, avenue Latérale Sud, first row — and the monument is his own work: he carved his own tomb, a rare thing at Père-Lachaise, where sculptors usually lie under the work of a colleague.
Paul de Saint-VictorWhat did he sculpt?
The equestrian Joan of Arc on the place Saint-Augustin in Paris, and the tomb of General Lamoricière at Nantes — two major works of official nineteenth-century sculpture.
Albert FouriéDid he run the Beaux-Arts?
He did, from 1878 to 1905: twenty-seven years at the head of the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, until his death. It is one of the longest directorships in the school's history.
Pierre Jules CavelierWhat does his inscription say?
It is a family one: “Famille Paul DUBOIS”, then a woman who died long before him — “Claudine Sophie DUBOIS née GUILLAUME décédée à Paris le 25 février 1834”, seventy-one years before the sculptor.
Mademoiselle GeorgeAudio guide to Père Lachaise: the best unusual guided tour!
Discover the secrets of the most astonishing tombs
the audio guidefrom€6.99