Meta Impressionism / École des Beaux-Arts

L’Institut

and it’s members

Introduction:
For several ‘impressionists’ L’Institut (or also mentioned L’Académie) was the symbol of conservative policies and teachings of art. The members of ‘L’Institut’ were often teachers at the École des Beaux-Arts and were also called ‘Académiciens’. They also had influence on the Jury of the Salon.

Paul Delaroche (1797-1856), 1841-42, Hémicycle des Beaux-Arts, ?x2700, mural École National Superieure des Beaux-Arts Paris (iR6;iR3;R293,p406)

L’Institut = L’Académie:
The École des Beaux-Arts became around 1816 part of ‘L’Institut de France’, in short L’Institut. L’Institut consisted of 5 academies, including the Académie des Beaux-Arts (R3,p670). The Académie des Beaux-Arts again consisted of the Académie de peinture et de sculpture, the Académie de musique (since 1669) and the Académie d’architecture (since 1671) (iR3;R3,p670). The Académie des Beaux-Arts provided education of free artists, that no longer were attached to guilds (R3,p660). L’Institut is also indicated as ‘L’Académie’ and many sources don’t clearly discern with the Académie des Beaux-Arts.
Sources mention that the Institut de France was founded in 1795 (iR5).
The Institut de France is located in the building with the Dome (iR3), compare the picture of Renoir↓ and Raffaëlli↓ .
Since 1863/11/13, by imperial decree, the Académie (the Institut de France) lost control of the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie de France in Rome. The government now appointed the employee’s. (R59,p183;R60,p97;R5,p26;R3,p660). Still, the teachers from the École were mostly members of the Académie (R3,p660). Already in 1830 the Académie had lost privileges, but received them again in 1853 (R59,p182).
The École as part of the Institute de France was since 1816 situated in a a complex of buildings at the 14, Rue Bonaparte in Paris (iR3). The central building is called the Palais des Études in which Paul Delaroche made a mural of 27 meters↑ (iR3).

Auguste Renoir: 1867-68, Sbr, 1F27=2CR111, The Pont des Arts (and the Institut de France), 62x102, NSM Los Angeles (iRx;R30=R193=R190,no27;R185,no111;R31,p181;R3,p53;R1,p167;M43) Provenance: 1872/03/31 Durand-Ruel (200fr). Expo: 5SFA-London-1872-37. — Auguste Renoir: 1867-68, Sbr, 1F27=2CR111, The Pont des Arts (and the Institut de France), 62×102, NSM Los Angeles (iRx;R30=R193=R190,no27;R185,no111;R31,p181;R3,p53;R1,p167;M43) Provenance: 1872/03/31 Durand-Ruel (200fr). Expo: 5SFA-London-1872-37.

Jean-François Raffaëlli: 1897, Sbr, The Institute, 59x80, MC Paris (iR2;aR7;iR155;iR1;R231-3;M8) Expos: =!? SNBA-1898-1016, L’Institut; =!? EU-1900-D-cl7-1564, L'Institut (appartient à la Ville de Paris) — Jean-François Raffaëlli: 1897, Sbr, The Institute, 59×80, MC Paris (iR2;aR7;iR155;iR1;R231-3;M8) Expos: =!? SNBA-1898-1016, L’Institut; =!? EU-1900-D-cl7-1564, L’Institut (appartient à la Ville de Paris)

Teachers / professors / Members of the ‘Institut’ / ‘Académiciens’:
The members of ‘L’Institut’ were often teachers at the École des Beaux-Arts and also called ‘Académiciens’ (R259). In 1875 there were 40 painters member of L’Institut (R88II,p397). Another source mentions there were only 14 painters who had administrative power over the Academy des Beaux Arts and thereby the Ecole des Beaux Arts (iR3). Often they were also member of Juries for the Salon and the Exposition Universelle. They had a large influence on the art-world. Who were those members and professors?
Many of these members / professors were highly awarded. I will note it, when they were most highly awarded. For more info on these artists see meta-impressionists, unless otherwise indicated.
Note 1: I understand they were member for a longer period, but I only render the years that I am sure of.
Note 2: It is interesting to examen their painting style. Were they all Neo-Classicists? If not, how does ‘Académism’ differ from it?

Early members (before 1855):
Here you will find some painters that became member of L’Institut before 1855.

Cogniet,
was a professor in 1863 (R31,p179); in 1870 he was a ‘Académicien’ since 1849 (R259);

Coudier;
in 1870 he was a ‘Académicien’ since 1839 (R259);

Flandrin, Hippolyte (1809-64):
He was elected as member in 1853 and in 1863 still was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts.

Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique (1780-1867):
Ingres was merely a Neo-Classicist. In 1825 Ingres became a member of the Academy (l’Institut) and in 1829 professor at the École National des Beaux-Arts. From 1835 till 1841 he was director of the French Academy in Rome. In 1853 he became president of the École. In 1863 he still was professor at the École.

Robert-Fleury (1897-1890):
He was a member since 1850 and still in 1889. In 1855 he was appointed professor at the École des Beaux-Arts, in 1863 director and in 1864 (or 1865) director of the French Academy in Rome.

Members appointed between 1855 and 1889:
Here you will find most of the painters that became member of L’Institut between 1855 and 1889.

Baudry (Paul-Jacques-Aimé):
Member of L’Institut since 1870.

Blanc (Joseph Paul) (1846-1904):
Since 1889 professor at the École des Beaux-Arts.

Bonnat, Léon (1833-1922):
He was member of l’Institute since 1881. Before 1882 he had a private art workshop together with Puvis de Chavannes. Since 1882 professor at the École des Beaux-Arts; became director in 1905.

Bouguereau (William-Adolphe; 1825-1905):
He was member of the Académie since 1876 and still was in 1889. Since 1875 he was a professor at the Academie Julian. He was most highly awarded.

Breton, Jules (1827-1906):
Jules Breton was mainly a Naturalist, see seperate page. Member since 1886. He was most highly awarded.

Cabanel (Alexandre; 1823-89):
In 1863 he became member of the Académie / the Institut. From 1864 till 1889 he was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. He was most highly awarded. See seperate page.

Cabat, Nicolas-Louis (1812-1893):
Cabat was mainly a Barbizon painter and pre-impressionist. He was a ‘Académicien’ since 1867 till at least 1889. In 1867 he also became professor at the Académie des Beaux-Arts. From 1878 till 1885 he was director of the Académie de France in Rome.

Delaborde, Vicomte Henri:
Became a member of L’Institut in 1868.

Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863):
Delacroix was mainly a Romantic painter, see seperate page. He was elected at the Académie des Beaux-Arts 1857/01/10 (R88II,p1003).

Delaunay, Jules-Élie:
Was a member since 1879 and still was in 1889. He was most highly awarded.

Gérôme, Jean-Léon (1824-1904):
Gérome was mainly a Neo-Classicist, see seperate page. In 1865 he was appointed as a member and still was in 1889. He also teached at the École des Beaux-Arts (since 1863 or 67) and would do so for years. In 1867 he was appointed as one of the 3 professors. He was most highly awarded.

Gruyer;
was member in 1889; (R231/iR40)

Hébert;
was member in 1889; (R231/iR40)

Henner;
was member in 1889; (R231/iR40)

Hesse;
was a ‘Académicien’ / member of L’Institut since 1867 and still in 1874 (R259;R337);

Laurens (Jean-Paul) (1838-1921):
Member of L’Institut in 1900 (R337).

Lehmann (Charles-Ernest-Rodolphe-Henri):
member since 1864 (R337)

Lenepveu (Jules-Eugène);
was a ‘Académicien’ / member of L’Institut since 1869 (R259;R337); was still a member in 1889; (R231/iR40).

Mantz, Paul (1821-95):
Art-historian and art-critic. 1882: director of the Academie des Beaux-Arts.

Meissonier, Jean-Louis-Ernest (1815-91):
Meissonier was a ‘Académicien’ since 1861 (R259). He was a most highly awarded artist.

Merson, Olivier (1846-1920);
In 1892 was chosen in the Académie des Beaux-Arts and from 1906-1911 he was ‘chef d’atelier’ at the École des Beaux-Arts.

Moreau, Gustave (1826-98):
Moreau was member in 1889 (R231/iR40). Since 1892 he had been professor at the École des Beaux-Arts (R298,p136).

Müller, Charles-Louis:
Member of L’Institut since 1864 till at least 1889.

Pils, Isidore (1813-1875):
In 1863 he was for a short time professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1868 he was appointed at the Académie des Beaux-Arts. He was most highly awarded.

Signol;
was a ‘Académicien’ since 1860 till at least 1889; (R231/iR40;R259;R337); was a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1863 (R31,p179)

Members appointed after 1900:
Here you will find some painters that became member of L’Institut after 1900.

Besnard, Paul-Albert (1849-1934):
Besnard was a Para-Impressionist. Since 1912/13 member of L’Institut. Director of the École des Beaux-Arts , since 1913 in Rome and since 1922 in Paris.

Carolus-Duran (1837-1917):
Was a member since 1904 and director of the Académie in Rome from 1905-13 (iR3). He was a Para-Impressionist. See seperate page.

Forain:
In 1923 Forain, who did partake in 4 of the 8 ‘impressionist’ expositions, was elected as member of the Academy of Fine Arts (l’Institut) (R43,p56;R88;R9;aR21,p13)

Other members:

Lafenestre, George (1837-1916):
He was at some point member of L’Institut.

Michel, André (1853-1925);
He was at some point member of L’Institut. He was also an art-critic (R90I,p481)

General sources:
My main sources are Walther (2013=R3), Denvir (R5), Raeburn (1985=R31), Wildenstein (1996=R22I), Adams (1994=R59), Monneret (1978-81=R88), Pissarro & Durand-Ruel (2005=R116I), the Exposition Universelles catalogues (R231), the Salon database (iR1), WikiPedia (iR3-5), Joconde (iR23). See the link for other general References (=Rx) and to the internet references (=iRx). See links for practical hints and abbreviations and for the subscription of the paintings.

For further reading:
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Additional sources (=aRx):

WikiPedia//École des Beaux-Arts (page on WikiPedia = iR3)
jssgallery.org//École des Beaux-Arts (page on jss gallery =iR359)
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Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism / École des Beaux-Arts: L’Institut and it’s members. Last modified 2024/11/12. https://www.impressionism.nl/linstitut/”

Note: this page is under construction.
Do not cite from this page for the information is incomplete and maybe incorrect.