Academic painters

 

 

Meta-Impressionism:

Academic painters

members of L’Institut

1855 – 1900

 

Introduction:
On this page you will find short info on the painters that were member of L’Institut in the period 1855-1900, more precise of the painting section, which counted 14 members. They represented the status quo of fine arts in those years. Many were influential: in the École des Beaux-Arts, in the art workshops, in the juries of the Salon (and the Exposition Universelle).
I will render them in an alphabeticl order. Sometimes you will be directed to seperate or other pages.

The career of an Academic painter:
Many Academic painters had a career that looked much like this. At the École des Beaux-Arts and it’s art workshops, they received lessons from renowned professors. They received the Prix de Rome and received an extended 4-year study in Rome. At the Salon and the Exposition Universelle they are awarded, maybe even with a Médaille d’Honneur and/or a Grand Prix. Their works are bought by the State and they receive public commissions. They are chosen as member of L’Institut for life. They are regularly part of the juries of the Salon (and the Exposition Universelle). They become professor at the École des Beaux-Arts and/or at one of the art workshops. They are appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier, as Officier and maybe even as Commandeur, Grand Officier and some receive the Grand Croix. Sometimes posthumously a retrospective is organised (at the École des Beaux-Arts).

Abel de Pujol (1785-1861):
Born as Alexandre-Denis-Joseph Abel. Pupil of David. Prix de Rome in 1811. Received commissions for churches and public monuments. Member of L’Institut since 1835 in succession of Baron Gros (1771-1835). Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier, as Officier in 1853.
Sources: R9,p17; R337/1857; iR4; iR6;

Alaux, Jean (1786-1864):
Also named Le Romain. Prix de Rome in 1815. Received at his debut at the Salon of 1824 a golden medal. Director of the French Academy in Rome from 1847-1852. Received commissions for public buildings. Member of L’Institut since 1851 till 1864.
Sources: R9,p23; R337/1857; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Baudry (Paul-Jacques-Aimé) (1828-1886):
Born in La Roche-sur-Yon. Pupil of Drolling. Received the Prix de Rome in 1850. Received at the Salon a 1st class medal in 1857 and in 1861. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1861, as Officier in 1869 as Commandeur in 1879. Member of L’Institut since 1870 till 1886. Made many decorations in buildings, namely the Panthéon.
Sources: R9,p62/3; R337/1874; iR3; iR4; iR6; sa vie et son oeuvre (1887=iR4);

Benjamin-Constant (Jean-Joseph) (1845-1902):
Born in Paris. Pupil of Cabanel. Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1875 and a 2nd class medal in 1876 and a medaille d’honneur in 1896 (portrait of his son André). Received at the Exposition Universelle of 1878 a 3rd class medal; (in 1889 a golden medal) and in 1900 a Grand Prix (he showed 8 works, including 7 portraits). Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1878, as Officier in 1884 and as Commandeur in 1900. Was member of the Société des Artistes Français. Since 1888 professor at the Académie Julian; he had many pupils. From 1893 till 1902 member of l’Institut. Depicted namely portraits and oriental scenes. Also received public commissions.
Sources: R9,p72; R231-3+13; R337/1901; iR4; iR6;

Bonnat, Léon (1833-1922):
Born as Léon-Joseph-Florentin Bonnat in Bayonne. He was most highly awarded. Received at the Salon a 2nd class medal in 1861 + 1863 (rappèl). Won a medal of honour in 1869. At the Exposition Universelle he received in 1867 a 2nd class medal; in 1889 he exhibited Hors Concours; in 1900 he was part of the jury and also exhibited hors concours. Appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1867 as Chevalier, in 1874 as Officier, in 1882 as Commandeur and in 1897 as Grand Officier; in 1900 he received the Grand Croix. Bonnat made portraits, religious paintings, genre paintings, landscapes and some oriental scenes.
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; from 1888 till 1905 he was chef d’atelier de peinture; became director in 1905 till 1922. From 1900-22 he was director of the National Musea. Among his students were: Caillebotte and also Jean Béraud, Georges Bracque, Raoul Dufy, Edvard Munch, John Singer Sargent and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.
Born in Bayonne, where he later build the Musée Bonnat. Pupil of Delaroche and Cogniet. Lifelong friendship with Antonin Personnaz. Friendships with Degas, Moreau, Henner and Gérôme. Also connections with Puvis de Chavannes and Manet. Respected by ‘impressionists’ and academic painters.
Sources+ more info and pictures: R9,p105/6; R231; R337/1886+1901; iR4; iR3; iR6; iR7; iR10;
Note: in the future I will make a seperate page.

Bouguereau, William-Adolphe (1825-1905):
Néo-Classicist. See seperate page.

Boulanger, Gustave(-Rodolphe) (1824-88):
Raised in Algeria. Pupil of Jolivet and Delaroche. Prix de Rome in 1849. Received medals at the Salon in 1857 +1859 +1863 +1878. Member of l’Institute since 1882 till 1888. Professor at the École des Beaux-Arts (1885-88) and at the Academie Julian. Part of the jury of the Salon in… Received public commissions, namely for the Opera.
See: R9,p114; R337/1886; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Brascassat, Jacques-Raymond (1804-1867):
Born in Bordeaux. Depicted portraits, landscapes and animals (1835 onwards). He also was an engraver. Debut at the Salon in 1831; exibited regularly till 1845. From 1846 till 1867 member of l’Institut. One of his pupils was Daubigny. In 1858 he retired.
Sources: R9,p124; R337/1857; iR4; iR6;

Breton, Jules(-Adolphe) (1827-1906):
From 1886 till 1906 member of l’Institut. A Naturalist. See seperate page.

Cabanel (Alexandre) (1823-89):
See seperate page.
Cabanel was mainly a Neo-Classicist: In 1863 he became  member of the Académie / of L’Institut till his death in 1889. From 1864 till 1889 he was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. Received the Prix de Rome in 1845 and was most highly awarded in 1855 +1864+ 1865 + 1867+1878+1884.
Sources: iR4; 

Cabat, Nicolas-Louis (1812-1893):
Member of L’Institut from 1867-1893. Cabat was namely a pre-impressionist and a forerunner of the Barbizon painters.

Cogniet (Léon) (1794-1880):
Born in Paris. Made historical paintings and portraits (till 1855). Pupil of Guérin. Friend of Géricault. Won the Prix de Rome in 1817. He hardly exhibited at the Salon after 1843. From 1849 till 1880 he was a member of L’Institut. He was a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts from 1851-63 and had many students, including Rosa Bonheur, Cals and Vignon. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1828 and in 1846 as Officier.
See: R9,p186; R259/1870; R337/1874; R31,p179; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Cormon, Fernand (1845-1924):
Born in Paris as Fernand-Anne Piestre. Pupil of Fromentin, Cabanel and de Portaëls. Received at the Salon a medal in 1870, a 2nd class medal in 1873 + the Prix de Salon in 1875 and in 1887 a Médaille d’Honneur. Received at the Exposition Universelle of 1878 a 3rd class medal and a Grand Prix in 1889. In 1900 he showed hors concours 4 paintings and several designs for decorations for rooms and pavilions at the Exposition Universelle. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1880, as Officier in 1889 and as Commandeur. Member of L’Institut since 1898. President of the Salon. Professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. Run a studio called Atelier Cormon since late 1883, which was attended by Bernard, Breitner, van Gogh, Matisse, Picabia and Toulouse-Lautrec.
He had has own eclectic style.
Sources: R231; R337/1901; R9,p194; iR4; iR6;

Couder, Louis-Charles-Auguste (1789-1873):
Born 1789/04/01 in Londen (some sources render 1790). Pupil of David and Regnault. Was an ‘Académicien‘ from 1839 till his death in 1873. Received public commissions for Versailles. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier and as Officier in 1841. Made namely historical paintings.
Publications: Considérations sur le but moral des beaux-arts, 1867; De la Beauté, 1867.
Sources: R9,p200; R259/1870; R337/1857; iR4; iR6;

Dagnan-Bouveret (1852-1929):
Member of L’Institut from 1900-1929. See seperate page.

David, Jacques-Louis:
Important Néo-Classicist. Member of L’Institut from 1795-1816. So he was an Academic painter, but not within the period 1855-1900. See seperate page.

Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863):
He was mainly a Romantic painter, see seperate page.
He was elected at the Académie des Beaux-Arts 1857/01/10  (R88II,p1003;iR4).

Delaroche, Paul (1797-1856):
Born as Hippolyte de la Roche. Pupil of Watelet and Baron Gros. Debut at the Salon in 1922. Member of L’Institut from 1832-1856. Proffesor at the École des Beaux-Arts from 1832/33 till 1843. Among his pupils were Daubigny, Gérôme, J.F. Millet. Made a large mural for the École des Beaux-Arts. Here a retrospective was held in 1856/57. He namely depicted portraits, mythological-, religious- and historical scenes (also of England).
Sources: R9,p226; iR4; iR6;

Delaunay, Jules-Élie (1828-91):
Born in Nantes. Pupil of Flandrin and Lamothe. Received the Prix de Rome in 1856. He was most highly awarded. Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1859, a 2nd class medal in 1863 and a medal in 1865. Received at the Exposition Universelle of 1867 a 2nd class medal, in 1878 a 1st class medal and in 1889 a Grand Prix. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1860 as Chevalier and in 1870 as Officier. Member of L’Institut since 1879 till 1891. Became chef d’atelier at the École des Beaux-Arts.
See: R337; R231/iR40; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Detaille, Édouard (1848 – 1912/12/24):
Born in Paris. Pupil of Meissonier. Received at the Salon a medal in 1869 + 1870, a 2nd class medal in 1872, a Médaille d’Honneur in 1888 (with ‘La Rêve’). At the Exposition Universelle of 1889 he received a Grand Prix. In 1900 he was part of the jury and exhibited 8 traditional paintings hors concours. Was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1873 as Chevalier, in 1881 as Officier and in 1897 as Commandeur and in 1910 as Grand Officier. He was member of L’Institut since 1892 till 1912; in 1905 he was President. President of the Société des Artistes Français from 1896-1900. He depicted many military scenes with great detail, including 2 large panoramas. He also made several mural paintings for public buildings.
Sources: R231; R9,p238; R337/1901; iR4; list of paintings=iR4; iR6;

Flandrin, Hippolyte (1809-64):
Flandrin was merely a Neo-Classicist. Also used drama and clair-obscure effects, which indicates a Romantic influence. He was elected as member in 1853 of the Institut and in 1863 he still was professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1865 there was a posthumous retrospective held at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
He was born in Lyon. He was the younger brother of Auguste (1894-42) and the older brother of Paul (1811-1902). Pupil of Ingres. Won the Prix de Rome in 1832 (with Recognition of Theseus by his father). Studied 5 years in Rome. Received at the Exposition Universelle of 1855 a 1st class medal (this work has been detroyed). Received public commissions, namely for churches. He also was a portraitist.
Sources and additional info + pictures: R9,p294; R31,p179; R337; iR3; iR4; iR6; iR6; iR23.

Français, Louis (1814-1897):
Member of L’Institut from 1890-97. Pre-Impressionist, related to the Barbizon painters.

Gérôme (Jean-Léon) (1824-1904):
See seperate page.
Gérome was mainly a Neo-Classicist. He also was a sculptor (since 1878).
Pupil of Paul Delaroche, Cariage and Gleyre.
Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1847, a 2nd class in 1848 and a Medaille d’Honneur in 1874.
At the Exposition Universelle in 1855 he received a 2nd class medal; in 1867 a Medaille d’Honneur; in 1878 a repeated Medaille d’Honneur; in 1889 he joined hors concours; in 1900 he was president of the Jury.
So, he was most highly awarded in 1867 +1874+1878.
In 1865/12/02 he was appointed as a member of L’Institut and would be till his death in 1904/01/10. He also teached at the École des Beaux-Arts (starting between 1863 and 1867) and would do so for 40 years. In 1867 he was appointed as one of the 3 professors. He had very many pupils, including Cassatt, Forain, Alexej von Jawlensky, J.F. Raffaëlli, Redon, Edouard Vuillard.
He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1855 as Chevalier, in 1867 as Officier, in 1878 as Commandeur and in 1900 as Grand Officier.
Depicted oriental, mythological, historical and religious scenes. He was a principal representative of the Academique painting. He is presented as being very hostile to the Impressionists. In Vesoul there is a museum dedicated to him (iR4).
Sources: R9,p325/6; R231-3; R337/1901; iR4; list of works=iR4; iR6;

Hébert (Antoine-Auguste-Ernest) (1817-1908):
Born in Grenoble. Pupil of David d’Angers and of Delaroche. He won the Prix de Rome in 1839 (? Le Tasse en prison). Received at the Salon a 1st class medal in 1851 and in 1895 a Médaille d’Honneur. At the Exposition Universelle of 1855 he received a 1st class medal, in 1867 a silver medal, in 1889 and in 1900 he received a Grand Prix. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur  in 1853 as Chevalier, in 1867 as Officier, in 1874 as Commandeur, in 1896 as Grand Officier and received the Grand-Croix in 1900. He was member of L’Institut since 1874 till his death in 1908. He was director of the Académie de France in Rome from 1867-72 and from 1885-90.
There is a Musée Hébert in Paris (iR6) and in La Tronche (see)
Sources: R231/1889+1901; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Heim, François-Joseph (1787-1865):
Pupil of Vincent. Prix de Rome in 1807. Received at the Salon a 1st class medal in 1812; success in 1827. Received many commissions from Kings, churches and castles. Member of L’Institut from 1829-1865. At the Exposition Universelle of 1855 he received a Médaille d’Honneur. Later that year he was appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur.
Sources: R9,p369; R337/1857; iR4; iR6;

Henner (Jean-Jacques) (1829-1905):
Jean-Jacques Henner refused to join the 1st ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1874. He was approached by Degas (in 1874). Probably Philippe Burty (1874/04/16) referred to him writing ‘A member of the Jury, has even promised to join the show. His absence, at the last moment, will only be platonically regretted.’ (In this sense you can call him a para-impressionist.)
Henner had won the Prix de Rome in 1858. He exhibited often at the Salon and received in 1863 a 3rd class medal, a medal in 1865 +1866. In 1898 he received a Médaille d’Honneur. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1873 as Chevallier, in 1878 as Officier and in 1898 as Commandeur. At the Exposition Universelle he received in 1878 a golden medal; in 1889 he joined hors concours and in 1900 he won the Grand Prix. He was member of L’Institut since 1889 till his death in 1905. Henner mainly made portraits and nudes.
Sources: R1,p316; R87,p256; R410,p104; R88I,p346/7; R231; R337/1901.
More info and pictures:  iR3; iR4; iR6;

Hersent, Louis (1777-1860):
Pupil of Regnault. Influenced first by David and later by Chateau-Briand. Won the Prix de Rome in 1797. Debut at the Salon of 1804. Debicted Indians from Northern America and legends from the Incas. Since 1830 he focussed on making lithographs. From 1822 till 1860 member of L’Institut.
Sources: R9,p374; R337/1857; iR3; iR4; iR6.

Hesse, Alexandre(-Jean-Baptiste) (1806-79):
Born in Paris. Son of Nicolas-Auguste↓. Pupil of Bertin + Gros. Received at the Salon a 1st class medal in 1833 (at his debut) and a 2nd class medal in 1848 (?). Received commissions, namely from churches. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur  in 1842 as Chevalier and in 1868 as Officier. He was appointed as Member of L’Institut in 1867 (he took over from Ingres) till 1879.
See: R9,p376; iR3; R259; R337/1868+1874; iR4; iR6;

Hesse, Nicolas(-Auguste) (1795-1869):
Pupil of Baron Gros. Prix de Rome in 1818. Exhibited at the Salon from 1824-68. Received a first class medal in 1839. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur  in 1840 as Chevalier. He was appointed as Member of L’Institut in 1863 (he took over from Delacroix). The State acquired several of his paintings. Received public commissions, including from the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde in Paris. Depicted mythological, religious and historical scenes. 
Sources: R9,p376; R337/1868; iR4; iR6;

Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique (1780-1867):
See seperate page.
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.

Laurens (Jean-Paul) (1838-1921):
Born in Fourquevaux (Haute-Garonne). Painter and sculptor. Pupil of Léon Cogniet and Alexandre Bida. Received at the Salon a medal in 1869 and a 1st class medal at the Salon of 1872. Received in 1877 a Médaille d’Honneur. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1874 as Chevalier, in 1878 as Officier and in 1900 as Commandeur. At the Exposition Universelle of 1900 he was part of the jury and showed 9 art-works hors concours.
In 1886 Durand-Ruel lent 1 painting of him to the famous exhibition of Paris Impressionists in New York, in that sense you could see him as a para-impressionist.
Teacher at the Académie Julian. Professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. Was member of L’Institut since 1891.
Made many historical and religious works. Received commissions for numerous public works. He painted in an Academic style and often depicted historical and religious themes. He had anti-clerical and republican opinions. Member of the Société des Aquarellistes Français (iR19). Exhibited at the 2nd Salon des Aquarellistes Français in 1888 (iR19).
His two sons Paul Albert (1870-1934) and Jean-Pierre (1875-1932) also became painters and teachers at the Académie Julian.
Sources: iR1; R337/1901; R231-3; R334/iR19; R161,p73; WikiPedia (iR3 +iR4); WikiMedia (iR6 +iR6); WikiArt (iR7).

Lefebvre (Jules-Joseph) (1836-1912):
Born in Tournan-en-Brie (Seine-et-Marne). Entered the École des Beaux-Arts in 1852. Pupil of Léon Cogniet. Received the Prix de Rome in 1861 with ‘The death of Priam’. Received at the Salon a medal in 1865 +1868 +1870 and in 1886 a Médaille d’Honneur. At the Exposition Universelle of 1878 he received a golden medal, in 1889 a Grand Prix and in 1900 he was part of the jury and exhibited 8 paintings hors concours. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1870 as Chevalier, in 1878 as Officier and in 1895 as Commandeur. He was member of L’Institut / Académie des Beaux-Arts since 1891 till 1912. He was professor at the Académie Julian since 1870.
He made many portraits and nudes.
(Was in the Salon jury in 1874.)
Sources: R231; R337/1901; iR3; iR4; iR6;  
Compare:
Lefebvre, Adolphe (1840-78): Born in Vagonville Nord. Pupil of Gleyre. Exhibited at the Salon from 1865-78. (R9,p458)
Lefebvre, Louis (1840ca-1902): Born in Blois. Pupil of Alexandre Thiollet and Harpignies. Painted en-plein-air in Bretagne, Normandy and along the Seine. He exhibited irregularly at the Salon since 1865. (R9,p458)

Lenepveu (Jules-Eugène) (1819-98):
He was a ‘Académicien’ / member of L’Institut since 1869. Born in Angers. Received the Prix de Rome in 1847. Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1847, a 2nd class medal in 1855 + 1861. At the Exposition Universelle in 1855 he received a 2nd class medal. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1862 as Chevalier, in 1876 as Officier. Director of the Académie de France in Rome from 1873-78. Received public commissions.
See: iR3; iR4; iR6; R259/1870; R337/1889; paintings (iR6); portraits (iR6);

Meissonier, Jean-Louis-Ernest (1815-91):
Born in Lyon. Debut at the Salon in 1834. He was a most highly awarded artist. Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1840, a 2nd class medal in 1841, a 1st class medal in 1848. At the Exposition Universelle in 1855 he received a Grande Médaille d’Honneur and in 1867 a Médaille d’Honneur. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1846 as Chevalier and in 1856 as Officier and in 1867 as Commandeur.
Meissonier was a member of L’Institut since 1861. Co-founder of the Société National des Beaux-Arts. He depicted (historical) military scenes, historical scenes (time of Louis XIII and 18th century), portraits, people playing games, other genre pieces. He painted on smaller canvasses.
Meissonier would be invited by Degas for the 1st ‘impressionist’ exposition; in that sense you could see him as a para-impressionist.
Sources and more info and pictures: R259/1870; R337/1868; R231; R9,p522/3; iR3; iR4; iR6; iR23; aR1; iR202; R88I,p518/9;
Compare: Jean-Charles Meissonier who received a golden medal at the the Exposition Universelle in 1889 (R231-3).

Merson (Luc Olivier) (1846-1920):
Received in 1869 the Prix de Rome with Le soldat de Marathon (The soldier of Marathon; mythological scene). Pupil of Chassevent and Pils. Debut at the Salon in 1866. Received a 1st class medal at the Salon of 1873 and at the Exposition Universelle in 1889. Around 1919 he received the Médaille d’Honneur. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1881, as Officier in 1900 and posthumously in 1920 as Commandeur. From 1892 till 1920 he was member of L’Institut. From 1906-1911 he was ‘chef d’atelier’ at the École des Beaux-Arts. Merson depicted many historical (medieval) and biblical scenes. He received several commissions for public buildings. He was also an art-critic (R90I,p481)
Sources and more info and pictures: R9,p526; R337/1901; iR23; iR3; iR4; iR6.

Moreau, Gustave (1826-98):
Gustave Moreau was an important forerunner of Symbolism. He exhibited irregularly at the Salon from 1852-1880. He received a medal in 1864 +1865 +1869. He exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1867 with two paintings he had earlier exhibited at the Salon. In 1878 he showed 3 works he showed before at the Salon of 1876 and 1877; he received a 2nd class medal. In 1889 he was part of the admission jury. He was appointed in the Legion d’Honneur as Chevalier in 1875, Officier in 1878. Member of L’Institut since 1888 till 1898. Since 1892 he had been professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1900 at the Centennale were 5 paintings posthumous exhibited (R231-1). In 1906 there was a large (posthumous) exhibition showing 209 works at the Georges Petit gallery (catalogue at gallica.bnf.fr/bd6t53713854=iR40).
Sources: R298,p136-145; R298,p136; R337/1880; WikiPedia (iR3 +iR4) and WikiMedia (iR6).

Morot, Aimé-Nicolas (1850-1913):
Born in Nancy. Morot received in 1873 the Prix de Rome for painting. He shortly was a pupil of Cabanel. He was awarded at the Salon in 1876 (3rd class medal), in 1877 (2nd class), 1879 (1st class) and 1880 (Médaille d’Honneur). In 1887 he married a daughter of Gérôme. In the 1880s he was a professor at the Académie Julian and in 1898 he took over the studio of Gustave Moreau. Member of L’Institut since 1898 till 1913. In 1900 he became professor at the École des Beaux-Arts. At the Exposition Universelle he received in 1889 and in 1900 a Grand Prix. In 1900 he showed 5 portraits. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1883 as Chevalier and in 1900 as Officier and Commandeur in 1910. Morot was member of the Société des Aquarellistes and exhibited with them in 1888. Morot depicted classical themes (in the early years), many military scenes, was known as a (Society) portraitist and made some sculptures.
Sources and more info and pictures: R231; R337/1901; iR3; iR4; iR6.

Müller, Charles-Louis (1815-92):
Born in Paris. He was a highly awarded artist. Pupil of Gros and Cogniet. Received at the Salon a 3rd class medal in 1838, a 2nd class medal in 1846, a 1st class medal in 1848. At the Exposition Universelle in 1855 he received a 1st class medal; in 1878 he was member of the admission jury. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur  in 1849 as Chevalier and in 1859 as Officier. Member of L’Institut since 1864 till 1892. Made portraits and large melodramatic compositions.
Sources: R9,p549; R231/iR40; R337/1868+1889; R259/1870; iR4; iR6;

Picot, François-Édouard (1786-1868):
Pupil of David and Vincent. Exhibited at the Salon from 1819-39. Received commissions for public buildings and churches. He was member of L’Institut since 1836. Among hi many pupils were Bouguereau, Cabanel, Chassériau, Henner, Jozef Israëls, Henri le Sidaner. In 1852 part of the Salon jury. He was a portraitist, genre painter and depicted historical scenes.
Sources: R9,p589; R337/1868; R177,p23; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Pils (Isidore) (1813-1875):
Received the Prix de Rome in 1838. He was most highly awarded in 1857 + 1861 + 1867. 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 and became member of L’Institut. Pils was mainly a Néo-Classicist.
He was most highly awarded.
Sources: R337/1868;

Robert-Fleury (Joseph-Nicolas) (1797-1890):
Born in Cologne as Joseph-Nicolas-Robert Fleury. He received at his debut at the Salon in 1824 a 2nd class medal and a 1st class medal in 1834. At the Exposition Universelle he received a 1st class medal in 1855 and 1867. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1836 as Chevalier and in 1849 as Officier and in 1867  as Commandeur. Member of L’Institut since 1850 till 1890. In 1855 he was appointed professor at the École des Beaux-Arts, in 1863 director. In 1864 (or 1865) he started teaching at the French Academy in Rome, where he was director for 6 months (1866/67).
He depicted several historical paintings, portraits and nudes.
Sources and additional info + pictures: R9,p627/8; R337; iR3; iR4; iR6; iR23.

Schnetz, Jean-Victor (1787-1870):
Pupil of Regnault, David and Gros. He received at the Salon a 1st class medal in 1819. Since 1837 director of the École des Beaux-Arts. Director of the French Academie in Rome from 1841-1846/7 and from 1853-1856 (or 1866). Member of L’Institut since 1837 till 1870. At the Exposition Universelle in 1855 he received a golden medal. Friend of Géricault.
Sources: R9,p658/9; R337/1857+1868; iR4; iR6;

Signol (Émile) (1804-92):
Born in Paris. Pupil of Gros and Blondel. He received the Prix de Rome in 1830.  He received at the Salon a 2nd class medal in 1834 and a 1st class medal in 1835. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1841 as Chevalier and in 1865 as Officier. Member of L’Institut from 1860 till 1892. He was a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in (at least) 1863. He painted historical (Middle Ages) and religious scenes and portraits.
Sources: R9,p670; R231; R259/1870; R337/1868; R31,p179; iR3; iR4; iR6;

Vernet, E.-J.-Horace (1789-1863):
Member of L’Institut from 1826-63. See seperate page.

Vollon, Antoine (1833 – 1900/08/27):
Born in Lyon. Pupil of Ribot. Painted with him and Boudin in Tréport. He received at the Salon a medal in 1865 +1868 +1869. At the Exposition Universelle he received in 1878 a golden medal and in 1900 a Grande Prix. In 1900 he showed 8 paintings. He was appointed in the Légion d’Honneur in 1870 as Chevalier and in 1878 as Officier. He was member of L’Institut from 1897 till 1900. (Since 1874 part of the Salon jury.) Depicted many landscapes and also still lifes. Many of his works were acquired by the State.  
Sources: R9,p730/1; R231-3; iR4; iR6;

 

 

Sources:
My main sources are the catalogues on the Expositions Universelle (R231); the Explications de Salon (R337), namely of 1857 +1868 +1874 +1886 +1889 + 1901; the Salon database (iR1).

 

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism: Academic painters; member of L’Institut within the years 1855-1900. Last modified 2025/10/30. https://www.impressionism.nl/meta-impressionists/”