Germain Pilon learned his skills from his father, André Pilon. His father owned his own workshop. Together, they may have worked on sculptures at Solesmes Abbey

Pilon's patron was Catherine de' Medici

Pilon's most famous work was a marble sculpture, Heart of Henri II (1561, Louvre, also known as The Three Graces). This piece actually was his first piece as well.

Three Graces was made of marble and commissioned by Primaticcio for Catherine de' Medici, widow of Henri II. The golden urn held by the three women was intended to contain the heart of the king; the urn today is a replacement for the original because it was destroyed during the French Revolution. The types of "isms" used by Pilon in this statue is Classicism, Humanism, and Idealism. This statue shows human emotion, it is elegant yet simplistic, and it represents Plato's idea of a perfect world, "material world is no more than shadows". The three women are lifting up his heart in a golden urn, showing that his heart was thought to be golden and pure. This piece intrigues me because it reminds me of what one of the Medici's did for his wife and its simplicity and elegance. This statue is made from just marble and gold so the urn really stands out, like it is supposed to. It can be seen in the Louvre Museum.

Interesting Fact: After his first piece, The Three Grace, he went the rest of his life always having royal commission (patron). "The lack of serious competition, and the fact that his talent suited the wishes of Marie of Medicis and Primaticcio, gave Pilon supremacy."