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In March 1778, just two months before his death, the famed philosopher Voltaire agreed to sit for Houdon. The resulting bust, showing the great philosopher in the antique style, without a wig or any other costume, was considered to be so true to life that people flocked to the sculptor's studio to marvel at the likeness. Houdon was particularly praised for his ability to give the eyes a lively quality by manipulating light and shadow in the deep carving of the pupils. This exceptionally fine bronze version of the marble original, now preserved in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Angers, France, is one of many such casts produced either with or without the master's authorization. Their mass production attests to the popularity of Houdon's original.