Aristide Maillol was born in Banyuls, France in 1861. Maillol's early career was spent mainly as a tapestry designer, but he also painted. Although he first made sculpture in 1895, it was only in 1900 that he decided to devote himself to it after serious eyestrain made him give up tapestry. After about 1910, he was internationally famous and received a constant flow of commissions. With only a few exceptions he restricted himself in his sculpture to the female nude. He took up painting again in 1939 when he returned to his birthplace, Banyuls, but apart from his sculpture the most important works of his maturity are his book illustrations, which helped reestablish the art of the book in the 1920s and...