Pierre Félix Masseau (17 March 1869, in Lyon – 14 April 1937, in Paris), known professionally as Fix-Masseau. He was a noted French sculptor and father of poster artist Pierre Fix-Masseau with whom he is sometimes confused with. Fix-Masseau was born in Lyon. He studied sculpture in Dijon, then in Lyon as a student of Charles Dufraine, continuing his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the supervision of Gabriel Jules Thomas. In 1897 he was awarded the Prix de Paris which allowed him to travel to the Netherlands, Switzerland, and also to Belgium and Italy (eight months in Florence). Fix-Masseau set up his workshop in Paris where he attracted the admiration of Rodin. The latter was unable to convince him to join his studio. The quality of his sculptures was noticed during the salons of the society of fine arts at the end of the 19th century. It made him a recognized and respected artist by his style and his technical mastery in various material bronze, original patinas, wood, glass, and stone ware. His early art was part of the Symbolism movement, a precursor of the art nouveau with often feminine themes. An original character of his (a "Mephistophelian" look), being almost reclusive in his art, Fix-Masseau is the very image of the total artist, mystical, focussed and concentrated. The 1890s and the 1900s were his most creative phase. In the 1890s he created some of his most notable art works. In 1894 Le Sécret a tall female mystical figure, holding up a box, her face receded almost behind it, like her naked body under a half opened coat. The figure is now at the Musée d'Orsay, copies exist in bronze. From the same year is L'emprise, which was first presented as in plaster at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1894. It shows a young woman as a personification of the human soul appearing to be haunted by five heads personifying passions: lust, anger, greed, attachment, and vanity. Both bronzes became key works of the Symbolism movement. He is also well known for his portraits as busts or masks, in bronze, marble, plaster, and ceramic. They are characterized by lively sculpted surface, close to Rodin's style. Most noticeable is his bust of Beethoven, 1902. The original bronze is housed in the Beethoven House in Bonn. He worked in different styles and media. In