Whilst little is known of Ligier Richier's personal life, it is recorded that in 1560, with the others living in Saint-Mihiel, he petitioned the Duke of Lorraine in order to practice in the reformed Protestant religion. He was apparently unsuccessful, for in 1564 he joined his daughter Bernadine in
Geneva,
Switzerland. She had married Pierre Godart, another Protestant who left Lorraine because of his religious beliefs. Richier remained in Geneva until his death in 1567. Perhaps more than any other French artist of his period, Ligier Richier produced some notable works linked to the "Passion"; a mixture of calvaries, pietàs and "mise au tombeau" (a depiction of the entombment). Some researchers believe he was born in Dragonville near
Commercy, but there is evidence that he was born in
Saint-Mihiel The people of Saint-Mihiel and its immediate neighbourhood are known as "Sammiellois". It is not clear when Richier was born. Richier executed calvaries for the parish church in
Briey and for Saint-Étienne's church in
Bar-le-Duc, the famous "mise au tombeau" for the Saint-Mihiel church of Saint-Étienne, a pietà for a church in
Étain, and a depiction of the
Virgin Mary fainting for Saint-Michel's church in Saint-Mihiel and was responsible for other works in neighbouring villages and towns in Lorraine. He also executed some funerary statues including the statue on the
tomb of René de Chalon, the Prince of Orange, killed in 1544 at the
Siege of Saint-Dizier, located in the church of Saint-Étienne in Bar-le-Duc, this a macabre exercise in "
écorché". He also produced a sculpture for the tomb of Philippa de Gueldres, the widow of Duke René II of Lorraine in
Pont-à-Mousson where she died in 1547. From 1530 onwards Richier worked under the protection of Duke Antoine of Lorraine, for whom he did
commissions. Although he also worked in wood, he preferred the soft
limestone available from quarries around Saint-Mihiel and Sorcy and by developing new polishing techniques he was able to give the limestone a marble-like appearance. ==See also==