Jean-Louis Prieur was a sculptor and a chaser and also a major figure in French neo-classicism. He came from a family of Parisian artisans that specialised in the decorative arts, his uncle was the master cabinetmaker, Joseph de Saint -Germain and his father was master fan maker. He most likely got his first training in the workshop of master founder Jean-Joseph de Saint-Germain (1719-1791), the son of Joseph de Saint -Germain. In 1765 he was admitted to Académie de Saint-Luc as a master sculptor and in 1769 he became master founder. Jean-Louis Prieur was one of the first professional draughtsmen. He produced a number of drawings of models for bronzes.