Mr. Pierre Morenon

"He could work very fast, which made him attractive for working on these large projects," said his son, Pierre, of Providence.

In 1955, he became head of the department of sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts, a position he held for 10 years.Mentoring dozens of students, he often stressed the importance of learning anatomy to improve sculptures and carvings involving people and animals."His view of art was from the inside out," his son said.

In the 1960s, he became a professor at Boston University's School of Fine and Applied Arts.He converted his two-car garage in Newton into a studio."Our house was always crawling with people," mostly his students, according to his son.

Outgoing and often a jokester, "he had, as my sister says, a wicked wit, and being French, he got away with all sorts of things," his son said.Whether he was delicately carving small hands for mannequins or welding large pieces of metal together, "he was a very hands-on guy," his son said.

Much of his work was centered on religion."He wasn't a mystical person, but he had a pretty good understanding of religion," Pierre Morenon said.

While in his 90s, he worked on a 6- to 7-foot wax carving depicting the cycles of life.He did not, however, finish the piece.

Mr. Morenon was a member and past president of the New England Sculptors Association, a fellow of the National Sculptors Society, a member of the Architectural League of New York, and an academician of the National Academy of Design.

In addition to his son, he leaves a daughter, Elise of Fort Lee, N.J.; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service is being planned for the spring.Burial will be private.

This story ran on page C12 of the Boston Globe on 2/3/2003.© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.

[ Send this story to a friend | Easy-print version | Search archives ]