Maillol, Aristide (1861-1944), French sculptor, whose works are characterized by solidity and simple realism. He studied (1882-86) at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and subsequently produced paintings, engravings, and tapestries before finding his real talent as a sculptor. He was influenced primarily by the art of classical Greece. He restricted himself almost entirely to the female nude, and his figures usually portray large, imposing women with an earthy quality.

Maillol used poses that were strong but never contorted, and the faces of his subjects expressed relatively generalized emotions of impassive seriousness or serenity. He sought perfection rather than originality, and his style changed little during his career. For instance, The Mountain of 1937 (Musée Nationale d'Art Moderne, Paris), a seated nude, is a variation on The Mediterranean of 1905 (Museum of Modern Art, New York City); it varies from the earlier work only in its somewhat greater refinement and definition. Maillol was the most distinguished sculptor in the period between the French sculptor Auguste Rodin and the moderns, but his classically influenced art essentially marked the end of a tradition rather than the beginning of a new one.