Rude, François, 1784-1855, French sculptor. As a Bonapartist, he left Paris after the battle of Waterloo and spent 12 years in Brussels. Rude is best known for his monumental relief on the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, The Departure of the Volunteers, known also as La Marseillaise. This work has been much admired for its patriotic fervor and force of execution. Other examples of his art are the portrait of J. L. David (Louvre) and the statue of Marshal Ney in Paris.