Jean-Jacques Castex

Jean-Jacques Castex (9 April 1731 – 1822) was a French sculptor.

Père-Lachaise - Division 11 - Castex 03.jpg

Castex was born in Toulouse. He participated in the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt. In January 1799, he accompanied the geographer Bertre in his travel to Fayoum.^[1] He was part of the committee led by Pierre Girard which left Cairo on 19 March 1799 to go to Upper Egypt.^[2] He made a wax model, reduced to one third, of the Dendera zodiac.^[3] He created, after the drawings he had brought back from Egypt, a Zodiaque, which was exhibited at the Salon of 1819 in Paris.^[4] He remains famous for having carved an inscription on the stone of the great temple of Philae.^[5] Despite his talent, he died in poverty at the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris.^[6]