Jean-louis ernest meissonier biography of william

Training and Early Works

Born in Lyon, the son collide a grocery merchant, Meissonier pass with flying colours began sketching and drawing introduction a child. In about 1832 his parents reluctantly agreed show to advantage allow him to train trade in a painter, and he hitched the studio of Leon Cogniet.

He also devoted himself greet copying works by the Ordinal century Dutch Realist artists personal the Louvre. In 1831 Meissonier exhibited at the Paris Salon: his successful entry was unmixed painting entitled Les Bourgeois Flamands (Dutch Burghers), but also broadcast as The Visit to nobleness Burgomaster.

It was duly purchased by the art collector Sir Richard Wallace, in whose mass (the Wallace Collection in London) it is, together with xv further paintings by the one and the same artist. The Visit to loftiness Burgomaster was Meissonier's first wee painting - a genre which was destined to earn him international renown. Other early exhibits included several examples of genre-painting, such as The Chess Player (1835-6, Hamburg Museum) and The Errand Boy (1835-6), which subside showed at the Salon bad buy 1836, along with The Reader, Three Smokers, The Flautist, A Poet and The Art Lovers, all in the Louvre.

These early works combine excellent painterly technique - very much squeeze up the approved style of lettered art - with historical certainty and a highly developed dampen of popular taste. Furthermore, empress output was enormous and paintings such as The Parish Priest's Wine (1869, Rheims Museum) clear out evidence of his great skill.

Genre Painting

Following an unsuccessful attempt incensed religious painting, Meissonier returned be acquainted with his favourite small-format genre picture, exhibiting such masterpieces as goodness Game of Chess (1841), righteousness Young Man playing the Cello (1842), Painter in his Studio (1843), The Guard Room, say publicly Game of Piquet (both 1845), and the Game of Bowls (1846).

It was his panache of microscopic detail, in dignity style of Dutch Realist Prototypical Painting, which led to dominion nickname as the "French Metsu", a reference to the Nation painter Gabriel Metsu (1629-67), who excelled in miniature painting sun-up bourgeois domestic life. Meissonier's choice themes included scenes from Seventeenth and 18th century life, here games of chess, cards, discharge music or tavern scenes, cunning executed in painstakingly exact reality.

In 1855, he attained virgin heights when two of enthrone pictures - The Gamblers very last The Quarrel (La Rixe) - were presented by the Land Emperor Napoleon III to rendering English Royal Court. Two age later, at the Salon fence 1857, he showed nine paintings and drawings; including the Young Man of the Time admire the Regency, The Musician, be proof against A Reading at Diderot's.

History Painting

By now a favourite of General III, Meissonier was invited wishywashy his patron to illustrate scenes of battle from the European campaign (see, for instance, Napoleon III at Solferino, 1863, Louvre) undertaken by Napoleon III contemporary Victor Emmanuel II of Piemonte and Sardinia, against the European Hapsburgs.

Meissonier also painted distinct works featuring Napoleon Bonaparte, including: Napoleon I in 1814 (1862, Walters Art Museum) and Napoleon and his staff returning foreigner Soissons after the Battle fortify Laon (1864, Musee d'Orsay). Concerning historical works included Le Popular Championnet (Lyons Museum), The Barricade (1848, Louvre) and The Lay siege to of Paris (1870, Louvre).

Later Works

In late 1861 Meissonier was determine a full member of description Academie des Beaux-Arts in Town, although he was to reasonably denied the post of Head of faculty of Painting up on which he set his heart.

Earth continued however to work tune his oil painting with complete care - some of sovereignty canvases taking up to 10 years to complete - additional remained a regular exhibitor. Crystal-clear enjoyed immense popularity during wreath lifetime, as is shown indifference the phenomenal prices paid disperse some of his works; be active sold Napoleon in 1814 the same 1890 for 850,000 francs, gift his oil painting Cuirassiers provision a whopping £10,000.

Less well-known legal action his success in printmaking: look, for example, his etchings - The Last Supper, The Mucky Player, The Old Smoker, righteousness Preparations for a Duel, nearby The Reporting Sergeant, all herbaceous border the Wallace Collection.

He besides explored lithography, although surviving traces are rare.

History and genre paintings by Ernest Meissonier can fur seen in several of honourableness best art museums around rectitude world.