Meta-Impressionism

A chronological overview

highly awarded artists

1855 – 1900

Introduction:
At another page you will find general info on the awards that were given to artists on the Salon, the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français and at the Expositions Universelle. Many artists were given a 3rd class medal and even a 2nd class medal. Many artists also were appointed as Chevalier in the Légion d’Honneur. There were just few who received 1st class medals, or a ‘medaille d’Honneur‘ or a ‘Grand Prix‘, or were appointed as Officier or Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur (or higher). These painters I call highly awarded painters. You could say that these painters were the standard of Fine Arts. At another page you will find short info on the highly awarded painters and at another the pictures of the awarded paintings. On this page you will find a chronological overview of the high awards given. I will limit to painters, because most partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions were painters. I will focus on the period 1855 till 1900, because these were the years that most of these partakers fought to be recognised, starting with the Exposition Universelle of 1855 and ending with the one in 1900, when they received universel recognition.

1855:
Note: in 1855 there was at the Exposition Universelle also an art exhibition that coincided with the Salon of 1855 or substituted the Salon.
The following artists were awarded with a 1st class medal:
Bida:
Rosa Bonheur (Realist):
Cabanel (Néo-Classicist):
Corot (Barbizon painter):
Français (Barbizon painter):
Huet (Barbizon painter):
Jalabert:
Lehmann:
Muller;
Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury:
Rousseau (Barbizon painter):
Troyon (Barbizon painter):
The following highly awarded painters were appointed in the Légion d’Honneur as Officier: Cabat (Barbizon painter):

1857:
Yvon received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
Baudry;
Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist):
Cibot:
Daubigny (Barbizon painter)
S1857-,
Pils (Néo-Classicist):
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1858:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1859:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Breton (a Naturalist); Daubigny (Barbizon painter); Fromentin; :
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Muller;

1860:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:
The following painters were appointed as member of L’Institut: Signol; .

1861:
Pils (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Baudry; Belly; François-Auguste Bonheur; Breton (a Naturalist); Hillemacher; Laugée; Timbal:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1862:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1863:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Benouville; François-Auguste Bonheur; Brion; Cibot: Hillemacher; Laugée;
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Remond;

1864:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Cabanel (Néo-Classicist) .
The following painters were appointed as member of L’Institut: Lehmann; Muller; :

1865:
Cabanel (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Amaury-Duval; Durand-Brager; Giraud; Signol;.

1866:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1867:
Note: in 1867 there also was an art-exhibition at the Exposition Universelle apart from the yearly Salon.
The following painters were appointed as Member of L’Institut: Cabat (Barbizon painter); Hesse;
Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury was appointed as Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Jules Breton (Naturalist); Corot (Barbizon painter); Dieterle; Gérôme (Néo-Classicist); Jalabert; Le Roux; Mayer; Pils (Néo-Classicist); Yvon;
Cabanel (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur:
Gérôme (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur at the Exposition Universelle and was appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur (R231):
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Exposition Universelle (R231):
Bida:
Jules Breton (Naturalist) also was appointed as Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:
EU-1867-83,
Daubigny (Barbizon painter):
EU-1867-
EU-1867-
Français (Barbizon painter):
Fromentin:
Jean-François Millet (Barbizon painter):
EU-1867-475,
Pils (Néo-Classicist):
Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury:
Rousseau (Barbizon painter):
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:

1868:
Brion received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Hesse; .
The following painters were appointed as Member of L’Institut: Delaborde; Pils (Néo-Classicist):

1869:
Bonnat received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Arago; Ballu; Baudry; Dubuffe;

1870:
Tony Robert-Fleury received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Bida; Delaunay (since 1879 member L’Institut); Dupré (Barbizon painter); Fromentin; Gosse; Philippe Rousseau.

1871:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1872:
Jules Breton (a Naturalist) received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Berne-Bellecour: Blanc; Laurens;
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1873:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Guesnet;
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1874:
Gérôme (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur:
S1874-796, Une collaboration (appartient à M. A.-F. Stewart).
S1874-797, Rex Tibicien (appartient à M. H. Oppenheim).
S1874-798, L’Éminence grise (appartient à M. Stebbins) (historical scene)
Blanchard received a 1st class medal:
S1874-192, Hylas entraîné par les nymphes (mythological theme)
S1874-193, Hérodiade (biblical theme).
S1874-194, Portrait du jeune. (portrait)
Lehoux received a 1st class medal:
S1874-1155, St. Laurent, martyr (religious theme)
The following painters were highly awarded painters Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Bonnat; Daubigny (Barbizon painter); .

1875:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:
The following artists received at the Salon a Prix de Salon: Cormon.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Courtat:

1876:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
Lematte received a 1st class medal.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist).
The following painters were appointed as Member of L’Institut: Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist).

1877:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Chaplin.

1878:
Note: 1878 there also was an art-exhibition at the Exposition Universelle apart from the yearly Salon.
Gérôme (Néo-Classicist) was appointed Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Carolus-Duran;
At the Exposition Universelle the following artists received a (Grand) Médaille d’Honneur:
Cabanel (Néo-Classicist):
the following artists received a Médaille d’Honneur:
Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist).
Français (Barbizon painter):
Gérôme (Néo-Classicist)
At the Exposition Universelle the following artists received a 1st class medal: Bida; Émile Breton; Busson; Delaunay (since 1879 member L’Institut);
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:

1879:
Delaunay was appointed member L’Institut;
Carolus-Duran received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon: Morot:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1880:
Morot received a Medaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
Charles Cazin (Para-Impressionist); Dagnan-Bouveret:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1881:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Armand-Dumaresq;
The following painters were appointed as Member of L’Institut: Bonnat.

1882:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
Bonnat was appointed as Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1883:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Harpignies (Barbizon painter) .

1884:
Cabanel (Néo-Classicist) was appointed Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Benjamin-Constant;

1885:
Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist) was appointed Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:
Bouguereau (Néo-Classicist) received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:

1886:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:
The following painters were appointed as Member of L’Institut: Jules Breton (Naturalist).

1887:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Busson; Chenavard;

1888:
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur:

1889:
Note: In 1889 at the Exposition Universelle there were two exhibitions relevant for this overview: 1: the regular international exhibition of ‘oeuvres d’art‘ and 2: the ‘Exposition Centennale de l’Art Français 1789-1889′. Apart from this their also was a Salon de la Société des Artistes Française held.
Jules Breton (Naturalist), Carolus-Duran (Para-Impressionist) were appointed as Commandeur in the Légion d’Honneur.
The following highly awarded painters were appointed Officier in the Légion d’Honneur: Félix Bracquemond; Charles Cazin; Cormon;
Dagnan-Bouveret received a Médaille d’Honneur.
The following artists received a Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle of 1889: Bernier: Collin: Cormon: Dagnan-Bouveret: Delaunay (member L’Institut); Morot:
The following artists received a golden medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1889: Adan: Aublet: Barau: Barrillot: Barrias: Baudouin: Benjamin-Constant; Béraud: Bida: Binet: Blanc: Boudin: Émile Breton: Brown: Marie Cazin: Courtois: Damoye: Dantan: Dawant: Doucet (EU?): Ferrier: Lépine; Raffaëlli; Toudouze: .
The following artists received a 1st class medal at the Salon:

1890:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1891:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1892:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1893:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1894:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1895:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1896:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1897:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1898:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1899:
Medaille d’Honneur:
1st class medal:
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1900 Salon:
Émile Wéry received a Prix Nationale: 1900ca, Les Bateliers, Amsterdam, 200×303, Orsay (M1) =SdAF-1900-1359 (bought by the State; now lost). A picture depicting two boats in the canals of Amsterdam. See links for info and pictures on Emile Auguste Wery (1868 – 1935): iR3; M1.
Ferdinand Humber received a Medaille d’Honneur (for painting), with no.678 ‘Portraits de M. Alex et de Mlle Elsa Grand’ (now lost), see engraving (Musée Rodin). See links for info and pictures on Ferdinand Humber (1842-1934): iR3; iR6; M1.
12 painters received a 2nd class medal, 31 artists a 3rd class medal and 44 an honorable mention.
Legion d’Honneur:
Chevalier:
Officier:
Commandeur:
Appointed member of L’Institute:

1900 Exposition Universelle:
In 1900 there also was an Exposition Universelle. At the Decennial exposition seperate awards were distributed. There also was a Centennial Exposition.
27 artists received a Grand Prix for painting. Among them were the following 10 French artists: Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant; Jean-Charles Cazin; Dagnan-Bouveret; Henri Harpignies; Antoine-Auguste-Ernest Hébert; Jean-Jacques Henner; Henri-Jean-Guillaume Martin; Aimé Morot; Alfred-Philippe Roll; Antoine Vollon.
Among them were the following 17 foreign artists: Alma Tadema; de Benczur; Boldini; Israëls; Klimt; Kröyer; von Lenbach; Orchardson; (Singer) Sargent; Sérov; Sorolla (y Bastida); Stevens; (Alexandre) Struys; (Fritz) Thaulow; von Uhde; Whistler; Zorn.
4 of the 57 partakers of the ‘impressionist’ expositions received a medal for classe 7 (‘peinture, cartons + dessins’): Lebourg (silver); Desboutin, Franc Lamy and Vidal (bronze).
There were 19 artists who received a Grand Prix for ‘Gravure et lithographie’ (Classe 8). Among the 12 French artists were Félix Bracquemond and Marcelin Desboutin. Among the 7 foreign artists was James Whistler (USA). J.F. Raffaëlli received a médaille d’or.
Astruc received a médaille de bronze for sculpture (classe 9).

General sources:
My main sources are the Exposition Universelles catalogues (R231), the explication des Salon (R337), the Salon database (iR1), WikiPedia (iR3; iR4; iR5), WikiMedia (iR6) 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:

Additional sources (=aRx):

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism: a chronological overview of highly awarded artists (1855-1900). Last modified 2025/10/21. https://www.impressionism.nl/awards-overview/”

Note: additional info will follow.

Please be reluctant, when you quote from this webpage, which is under construction.
The information is incomplete and maybe partly incorrect.