Saturday, February 28, 2015

Portrait of Hippolyte Flandrin (1855)

Jean-August-Dominique Ingres: Portrait of Hippolyte Flandrin

Flandrin (1809-1864) was a fellow painter. At bottom right it says "Ingres to his friend and great artist Hippolyte Flandrin".

Friday, February 27, 2015

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The Meeting of Henri III and the Duc de Guise (1855)

Pierre-Charles Comte: The Meeting of Henri III and the Duc de Guise

These two were bitter enemies. King Henri III eventually had the Duc de Guise assassinated.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (1855)

 Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot: First Leaves, near Nantes
  
 Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot: Seine Landscape near Chatou
  
 Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot: The Letter
 
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot: Wall, Côtes-du-Nord, Brittany

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Friday, February 20, 2015

Charles-Louis Mozin (1855)

 Charles-Louis Mozin: The Port of Rouen
  
Charles-Louis Mozin: The New Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert (II)

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Soirée at the Louvre (1855)

François Biard: Une Soirée au Louvre chez le Comte de Nieuwerkerke en 1855

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

La Fête-Dieu (1855)

Alexandre Antigna: La Fête-Dieu

"Fête-Dieu" is the French name for the Feast of Corpus Christi, held sixty days after Easter.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Théodore Chassériau (1854)

 Théodore Chassériau: Macbeth Seeing the Ghost of Banquo
  
Théodore Chassériau: Moorish Woman Leaving the Bath in the Seraglio

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Poem of the Soul (1854)

Louis Janmot was a student of Ingres, among others. His paintings reflect his staunch Catholicism. One of his major works was the 18-part Poem of the Soul. Exhibited at the 1855 Universal Exhibition, these paintings were apparently not well received.

 Divine Generation
  
 The Soul's Journey
  
 The Angel and the Mother
  
 Spring
  
 Memories of the Sky
  
 Father's House
  
 Bad Path
  
 The Nightmare
  
 The Grain Seed
  
 First Communion
  
 Virginitas
  
 The Golden Stairs
  
 Rays of the Sun
 
 On the Mountain
  
 One Evening
  
 The Soul's Flight
  
 Ideal
  
Reality

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Monday, February 9, 2015

The Age of Augustus and the Birth of Christ (1854)

Jean-Léon Gêrome: The Age of Augustus and the Birth of Christ
 
At the apex of this theatrically arranged study, Augustus Caesar sits in front of the Temple of Janus and touches the shoulder of a man personifying Rome. Surrounding him are scholars and statesmen while foreign tribes gather below. The Nativity scene in the foreground illustrates the coincidental moment of world peace under Augustus when Christ was born.

In 1852, Jean-Léon Gérôme received a state commission to paint a large mural of an allegorical subject of his choosing. In selecting this subject, Gérôme perhaps sought to flatter Emperor Napoleon III, whose government commissioned the painting and who was identified as a "new Augustus."

In preparation for his large mural, Gérôme traveled all over to find the appropriate ethnic types to portray the different peoples of the ancient world. When The Age of Augustus, The Birth of Christ was shown in 1855 at the Universal Exposition, his skill in depicting various nationalities led some to remark that Gérôme gave a lesson whenever he painted a picture. [Getty Museum]

Friday, February 6, 2015

Thursday, February 5, 2015

A Classical Courtship (1853)

Auguste Toulmouche: A Classical Courtship

Auguste Toulmouche (1829-1890) was a French painter who painted in the academic realism style. This trend in art was towards realism but also towards greater idealism, which is contrary to realism. The figures depicted were made more abstract and idealized. His themes were in the Regency revival style of genre painting. This would involve both generalizing the forms seen in nature, and subordinating them to the unity and theme of the artwork.

He studied with Charles Gleyre and is known mainly for his portraits of Parisian women; Émile Zola spoke of "Toulmouche's delicious dolls." He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. [Wikipedia]

A more extensive bio of Toulmouche is at Rehs Galleries.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Arrest of Charlotte Corday (1853)

Alfred Dehodencq: The Arrest of Charlotte Corday after the Murder of Marat, 13th July 1793