Pierre Roche (Paris, 2 August 1855 – Paris, 18 January 1922), pseudonym of Pierre Henry Ferdinand Massignon, was a French sculptor, painter, ceramist and medallist. He was the father to Louis Massignon. Roche first studied medicine and chemistry in Paris, but then switched to studying painting at the Académie Julian 1873–1878 under Alfred Roll, and exhibited at the Paris Salon 1884–1889. In 1888 Roche tried sculpture to compete for a monument to Georges Danton, leading to encouragement by sculptor and teacher Jules Dalou. He went on to produce a number of commissioned works, like the fountain April (1906) in the Musée Galliera gardens, and L'Effort (c.1898) in the Jardin du Luxembourg. His works are collected in the Musée d'Orsay, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Courtauld Institute of Art, and Harvard University Art Museums. References Léandre Vaillat, Pierre Roche, 1855–1922, J. Charpentier, 1923. Answers.com entry Insecula images Artcyclopedia entry External links 1855 births 1922 deaths 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists 20th-century French sculptors 19th-century French sculptors Académie Julian alumni French male sculptors 19th-century French male artists