Sophie Prieto is the Cheffe du département des Ateliers d’Arts – Moulages et Chalcographie at the GrandPalaisRmn in France.

The workshop holds plaster casts of more than 6,000 artworks, including pieces like the Venus de Milo and the foot of Alexander the Great, as well as 14.000 original engraved copperplates dating from the 17th to the 21st century.

During this lecture, she will speak about her department’s work in casting (moulage) and intaglio printing (chalcography). These artisanal reproductions are essential for restoration, education, and the preservation of artworks from French and international heritage. Her department also develops tactile objects for blind and visually impaired visitors and supports major restoration projects, such as the garden sculptures in Versailles.

For two centuries, the Cast Workshop of the GrandPalaisRmn has brought the greatest masterpieces of sculpture back to life by making high-quality reproductions from original works, using unique processes that combine the demands of tradition and the excellence of modern times. The collection of casts preserved by the workshop traces the complete history of sculpture, illustrating the art of Prehistoric, Eastern and Egyptian Antiquities, Greco-Roman, Etruscan, Gallo-Roman, as well as masterpieces from French, Italian and northern Europe schools from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

Practical Information

• The lecture will be held in English
• Free tickets for the lecture can be reserved starting September 1

Photo Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times