A precocious painter who was a favourite of Napoleon III, he taught at the École des Beaux-Arts for 25 years. Many of his students became Naturalists. Coincidence? Here’s his story and work.
Category Archive: Painting
One of Degas’ close friends, he illustrated many books in the late 19th century. His paintings were good enough to be bought by Degas, as this selection shows.
A series of history paintings showing events in France in the 1600s, even a painting of Saint Jerome. Where had his Roman reconstructions gone?
A note above his studio door proclaimed that he drew like Michelangelo and used colour like Titian. A small selection of works leading to his breakthrough in 1548.
The Bonnard’s spent much of their time on the Mediterranean coast, in their villa in Le Cannet. But Pierre found himself isolated, and snuck off for 6 months in Carcachon.
He developed innovative guerrilla warfare in the long Punic Wars against Hannibal. Also the mystery of a stolen Rembrandt.
After the huge death toll of the war, including 2 major painters, a week in Paris in May resulted in a further 7,000 deaths, and the destruction of public buildings. Hardly a painter in France wasn’t affected.
Paris was under siege from September 1870 to the end of January 1871. Painters commanded its defenders, and showed its distress.
In the late 19th century, painting was centred on Paris. But in 1870-71, the city was all but destroyed after a long siege, in the Franco-Prussian War. The story told in paintings.
Several pro-Empire paintings, including the story of Cleopatra’s seduction of Caesar, as the Suez Canal was being built. Then his most famous painting of all: Pollice Verso.
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