Meta-Impressionism:

Jury

of the Salon

and the Expositions Universelle

1855 – 1900

Henri Gervex (1852-1929): 1885, A session of the painting Jury, 299x419, Orsay (iR6;iR10;R231-6;R5,p20;M1) =EU-OdA-1889-648, Les membres du Jury du Salon de Peinture. — Henri Gervex (1852-1929): 1885, A session of the painting Jury, 299×419, Orsay (iR6;iR10;R231-6;R5,p20;M1) =EU-OdA-1889-648, Les membres du Jury du Salon de Peinture.

The Jury of the Salon:
Not everybody was accepted to exhibit at the Salon or at it’s successor the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français. Since 1798 there was a jury nominated by the government, that would judge the admissions of the artists. Since 1831 the jury was dominated by members of ‘L’Institut‘. Except in 1848, when there was no jury and 1849 when it was elected by the artists. Mostly members of L’Institute, those appointed in the Légion d’Honneur, those who had received a medal or the Prix de Rome, were elected in the jury (R410,p71). There were seperate juries for painting, architecture, sculpture and engraving. We will focus on the juries for painting and on the years 1855 – 1900.
Also the Expositions Universelles had juries who selected candidates.

In 1848 Corot, Dupré and Rousseau were member of the organisational committee (R290,p49). From 1850 till 1857 part of the jury stayed elected by the artists. In 1857 under Van Nieuwerkerke ‘L’Institut‘ became dominant again in the nomination of the jury (R88II,p387). In 1866 the number of members of the jury was raised to 24 (in stead of 12); 6 were nominated by the state and 18 by a selection of the artists (that earlier received medals). In 1867 and 1869 2/3 of the jury was chosen by all the artists. In 1872 only awarded artists had the right to vote for the jury. In 1874 3/4 of the jury was appointed by artists that had received medals and decorations and by members of L’Institut. In 1875 189 voters could choose 45 candidates. In 1876 only 246 artists had a right to vote for 15 members of the jury. The government appointed 5 members. In 1879 (and 1880) 10 members judged the historical and figure paintings and 5 members the landscapes and still-lifes. (R88;R3,p56)

Some artists didn’t have to be judged by the jury, they were exempted (‘exempté‘) or they exhibited ‘hors concours‘, which meant they didn’t join the competition (iR1;R88II,p397;R3,p56). Since 1803 these were also the Académiens (members of the ‘L’Institut‘), artists that had received medals and decorations.
Artists exhibited ‘hors concours‘ when they had received (at least) a 1st class medal or a 2nd class medal with a (3rd class) medal or 3 (3rd class) medals. The only medal they could receive was the Medaille d’Honneur or a Grand Prix.

Since 1863/01/25 the number of admissions was reduced to 3 art-works (R116I,p114;R88;iR5). Later on it was limited to 2 art-works and in 1874 increased again to 3 (R88;R1,p311).
Several sources state that the Salon Jury was a bastion of conservatism, namely by the influence of Émilien de Nieuwerkerke (R223,p165;R177,p31). As Manet put it to Félix Bracquemond (probably in the Spring of 1865) ’the hostility of that rotten old de N.’ (R213,p32). This is quite exaggerated when we see who were part of these juries.

The members of the jury of the Salon:
Who were the (French) members of the juries (for painting) of the Salon and the Expositions Universelles (=EU) and when? Here below you will find an alphabetical overview. For more information on these people see meta-impressionists, unless otherwise indicated.
Many members of ‘L’Institut‘ were part of the juries*. Note: In 1881 many newcomers were part of the jury.
I like to emphasize that also Barbizon painters and other landscapists had been part of the jury and not only Neo-Classical painters.
Note*: this will be indicated by an asterix behind the year.

Adan (Louis-Émile):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Barye (Antoine-Louis; 1795-1875): (pre-impressionist)
In 1869.

Baudry (Paul-Jacques-Aimé) (1828-86):
In

Bénédite (Léonce):
In 1900 (EU).

Béraud (Jean):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Bernier (Camille) (1823-1902):
In

Besnard (Albert):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Bida (Alexandre) (1823-95):
In

Billotte (René):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Bonnat, Léon (1833-1922):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Bouguereau, William-Adolphe (1825-1905):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Boulanger, Gustave (1824-88):
In

Breton, Jules (1827-1906): (para-impressionist)
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Busson (Charles):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Cabanel (Alexandre) (1823-89):
From 1868 – 1888.

Cabat, Nicolas-Louis (1812-1893): (pre-impressionist)
In

Carolus-Duran:
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Carrière (Eugène):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Chintreuil (Antoine; 1814-1873): (pre-impressionist)
In 1870 + 1872.

Cogniet (Léon) (1794-1880):
In

Collin (Raphaël):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Corot (Jean-Baptiste-Camille) (1796-1875): (pre-impressionist)
In 1848 +1849 +1850 +1852 +1864 +1870.

Courtois (Gustave):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Dameron (Émile-Charles):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Damoye (Pierre-Émmanuel):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Daubigny (Charles-François) (1817-1878): (pre-impressionist)
In 1870.

Dawant (Albert-Pierre):
In 1900 (EU; secrétaire; hc).

Decamps (Alexandre-Gabriel) (1803-60): (pre-impressionist)
In 1852 (R177,p23).

Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863):
In 1852 (R177,p23).

Delaunay, Jules-Élie :
In ?
Compare Jules Delaunay (1845ca-1906) who only exhibited at the Salon in 1868 and 1905 (R9,p227).

Detaille (Édouard):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Dubufe, Louis-Édouard (1820-83):
In

Dubufe (Édouard-Marie-Guillaume):
In 1900 (EU; secrétaire; hc)

Dupré (Julien):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Ferrier (Gabriel):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Flameng (François):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Fourcaud (Louis de):
In 1900 (EU).

Français (François-Louis) (1814-97): (pre-impressionist)
In

Fromentin (Eugène) (1820-76):
In

Gautier, Th.:
In 1865 (1865; R213,p32)

Gérôme (Jean-Léon) (1824-1904):
In 1900 (EU; president).
Chosen but withdrawn in:

Gervex (Henry):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Gleyre, Charles (1808-74):
In

Gruyer (Anatole):
In 1900 (EU).

Guillemet (J.-B.-A.):
In 1882 +1900 (EU; hc).

Havard (Henry):
In 1900 (EU).

Hébert (Ernest) (1817-1908):
In

Henner (Jean-Jacques) (1829-1925):
Since 1874.

Humbert (Ferdinand):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Lafenestre (George):
In 1900 (EU).

Larroumet (Gustave):
In 1900 (EU; rapporteur).

Laurens (Jean-Paul) :
Since 1874.
In 1900 (EU).

Lefebvre:
Since 1874.
See meta-impressionists for options.

Lefebvre (Jules-Joseph):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Lhermitte (Léon-Augustin):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Maignan (Albert-Pierre-René):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Meissonier, Jean-Louis-Ernest (1815-91):
In

Millet (Jean-Francois) (1814-1875): (pre-impressionist)
In 1870.

Molinier (Émille):
In 1900 (EU).

Montenard (Frédéric):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Nieuwerkerke, Émilien de :
In 1852 (R177,p23).

Picot, François-Édouard (1786-1868):
In 1852 (R177,p23).

Pils (Isidore) (1813-1875):
In 1865.

Renard (Émile):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Rixens (J.-André):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Robert-Fleury (Joseph-Nicolas) (1897-1890):
In

Robert-Fleury (Tony) (1837-1911):
In 1900 (EU; hc).

Rousseau (Theodore; 1812-1867): (pre-impressionist)
In 1867?.

Vollon, Antoine (1833-1900):
Since 1874.

Sources:
My main sources are the ‘explications de Salon’ (=R337) and the catalogues on the Expositions Universelles (=R231).
Other sources are: R88II,p386-403; R1,p80+139+169+194; R3,p694; R5,p63; R22I,p77+80; R31,p295; R287,p413+417+419; R290,p132.

Recommanded citation: “Meta-Impressionism: The juries of the Salon and the Expositions Universelles (1855-1900). Last modified 2025/06/02. https://www.impressionism.nl/jury-salon/”

Note: additional info will be added.

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