Joseph-Hugues Fabisch
Illustration — Sainte Catherine (1866), at the angle of rue Sainte-Marie-des-Terreaux and rue d'Algérie, Lyon • Illustration — The Virgin of Lourdes, the most famous work of Fabisch • Illustration — The Virgin of the Carthusians, Church of Saint-Bruno des Chartreux, Lyon • Illustration — The Virgin of Fourvière, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Lyon Joseph-Hugues Fabisch (born Aix-en-Provence, 1812; died Lyon, 1886) was a French sculptor. He was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, and official sculptor to the diocese of Lyon.
Joseph-Hugues Fabisch

Pierre Tribhou · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Full name
- Joseph Hugues Fabisch.
- Born
- 1812 · Aix-en-Provence.
- Died
- 1886 · 2nd arrondissement of Lyon.
- Nationality
- France
- Occupation
- sculptor · university teacher
- Languages
- French
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Sainte Catherine (1866), at the angle of rue Sainte-Marie-des-Terreaux and rue d'Algérie, Lyon • Illustration — The Virgin of Lourdes, the most famous work of Fabisch • Illustration — The Virgin of the Carthusians, Church of Saint-Bruno des Chartreux, Lyon • Illustration — The Virgin of Fourvière, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Lyon Joseph-Hugues Fabisch (born Aix-en-Provence, 1812; died Lyon, 1886) was a French sculptor. He was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, and official sculptor to the diocese of Lyon.
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Joseph-Hugues Fabisch (1812–1886) was a French sculptor and university teacher. Born Joseph Hugues Fabisch in Aix-en-Provence, the sculptor died in 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. Joseph-Hugues Fabisch worked for École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon and was a member of Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Lyon.
Languages used include French. Works by the sculptor are held at Musée Granet.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q551834 · wikipedia · Joseph-Hugues Fabisch
In this article
Life
Life
François Félix Roubaud, Léon-Alexandre Delhomme and Jean-Marie Vérot are recorded as having studied under Joseph-Hugues Fabisch. The recorded working language is French. Employment is recorded with École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon. Work by Joseph-Hugues Fabisch is recorded in the collections of Musée Granet.
In 1840, he set himself up at Saint-Étienne, where he was professor at the town's university. He left the town for Lyon in 1845 where he became a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, becoming its director in 1874 and teaching artists including Léon-Alexandre Delhomme. In 1852 he produced the Virgin on top of the chapel of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière in his studio on the quays of the Saône. When his studio was flooded, the statue's unveiling was put back to 8 December, which has since then been celebrated as Lyon's fête des lumières. From 15 to 19 September 1863, he was in Lourdes to visit Bernadette Soubirous, who described to him the visions of the Virgin Mary. He then made a statue of the Virgin, commissioned by the Lacour sisters and under the control of Abbot Blanc, who above all wanted a statue faithful to the young woman's description. It was intended for the grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes and dedicated on 4 April 1864 in front of 20,000 people. This was the artist's masterwork, copied later on all over the world, but caused a polemic on its adequacy to the young peasant girl's visions, who did not approve it. In 1868, Fabisch created another Madonna, this one with the Child, for the crypt of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Lourdes.
Works
Works
• 1852: Golden virgin consecrated on 8 December 1852 (see Fête des lumières) on top of the chapel of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon 5th arrondissement. • 1852: apsidal altar of Saint Benedict, Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay, Lyon 2nd arrondissement. • 1855: Virgin and Child, on the corner of Maison Blanchon by the architect Pierre Bossan, at the corner of Quai Fulchiron and Place Benoît-Crépu, Lyon 5th arrondissement • 1855: Beatrix, white marble, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Lyon 1st arrondissement • 1860: tympanum of the porch of the Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay, Lyon 2nd arrondissement. • 1864: Virgin Mary, according to the description of Bernadette Soubirous, grotto Massabielle, Lourdes; Carrara marble, 1.83m high. • 1866: Saint Catherine of Alexandria, place des Terreaux, corner of rue d’Algérie and rue Sainte Marie des Terreaux, Lyon 1st arrondissement. J. H. Fabisch also designed the building's pediment, one of whose corners the statue occupies • 1868: Virgin and Child, Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Lourdes. Undated: • Saint Peter, place des Terraux, corner of rue Constantine, rue Paul Chenavard, Lyon 1st arrondissement • Saint Joseph, chapel of Saint Joseph, Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay, Lyon 2nd arrondissement. • Illustration — Pediment with the bust of Apollo (1854), West Pavillion, Place Bellecour, Lyon
Identity
Identity
Joseph-Hugues Fabisch is recorded as sculptor and university teacher.

Portrait de Joseph-Hugues Fabisch en buste de trois-quart gauche, la main droite posée sur un guéridon et la main gauche sur sa hanche. Photographie extraite d'un album de 74 portraits de membres de l' Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Lyon au XIX e siècle, cote: 2PH/6/22.
Lyon Municipal Archives
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1812
Joseph-Hugues Fabisch was born in 1812 at Aix-en-Provence.
1886
Joseph-Hugues Fabisch died in 1886 at 2nd arrondissement of Lyon.
Places
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Places
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Aix-en-Provence.
Birth place
2nd arrondissement of Lyon.
Death place
Literature
Scholarly footprint
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Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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- 1.’'La revue du Rosaire'’, n° 173, November 2005
- 2.’'Saints et madones aux coins de nos rues'’, p.58
- 3.’'Saints et madones aux coins de nos rues'’, p.65
- 4.’'Saints et madones aux coins de nos rues'’, éditions lyonnaises d’art et d’histoire, 1995, p.72
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q551834: Joseph-Hugues FabischWikimedia Foundation
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Secondary witness
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Further particulars
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Joseph-Hugues Fabisch was recorded at birth as Joseph Hugues Fabisch. His recorded language was French. His recorded confession was Catholic Church. He was the child of Charles Fabisch. One child is recorded: Philippe Fabisch. He was employed by École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon. He belonged to Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Lyon.
Identity and origins
Career and activity
Fabisch, Joseph Hugues, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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