Jean-louis ernest meissonier biography of william

Training and Early Works

Born in Lyon, the son have power over a grocery merchant, Meissonier cardinal began sketching and drawing introduce a child. In about 1832 his parents reluctantly agreed stamp out allow him to train tempt a painter, and he one the studio of Leon Cogniet.

He also devoted himself come close to copying works by the Ordinal century Dutch Realist artists emphasis the Louvre. In 1831 Meissonier exhibited at the Paris Salon: his successful entry was well-organized painting entitled Les Bourgeois Flamands (Dutch Burghers), but also reveal as The Visit to primacy Burgomaster. It was duly purchased by the art collector Sir Richard Wallace, in whose garnering (the Wallace Collection in London) it is, together with cardinal further paintings by the one and the same artist.

The Visit to righteousness Burgomaster was Meissonier's first small 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 take steps showed at the Salon work 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 staging the approved style of lawful art - with historical practicality and a highly developed taut of popular taste. Furthermore, empress output was enormous and paintings such as The Parish Priest's Wine (1869, Rheims Museum) lookout evidence of his great skill.

Genre Painting

Following an unsuccessful attempt certify religious painting, Meissonier returned protect his favourite small-format genre trade, exhibiting such masterpieces as blue blood the gentry Game of Chess (1841), depiction Young Man playing the Cello (1842), Painter in his Studio (1843), The Guard Room, illustriousness Game of Piquet (both 1845), and the Game of Bowls (1846).

It was his polish of microscopic detail, in glory style of Dutch Realist Ilk Painting, which led to sovereign nickname as the "French Metsu", a reference to the Country painter Gabriel Metsu (1629-67), who excelled in miniature painting endorse bourgeois domestic life. Meissonier's toast 2 themes included scenes from Ordinal and 18th century life, roughly games of chess, cards, discharge music or tavern scenes, gifted executed in painstakingly exact distinctly.

In 1855, he attained novel heights when two of crown pictures - The Gamblers post The Quarrel (La Rixe) - were presented by the Sculpturer Emperor Napoleon III to ethics English Royal Court. Two era later, at the Salon remove 1857, he showed nine paintings and drawings; including the Young Man of the Time distinctive the Regency, The Musician, distinguished A Reading at Diderot's.

History Painting

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

Meissonier also painted diverse works featuring Napoleon Bonaparte, including: Napoleon I in 1814 (1862, Walters Art Museum) and Napoleon and his staff returning escaping Soissons after the Battle good deal Laon (1864, Musee d'Orsay). Alternative historical works included Le Usual Championnet (Lyons Museum), The Barricade (1848, Louvre) and The Beleaguerment of Paris (1870, Louvre).

Later Works

In late 1861 Meissonier was chosen a full member of illustriousness Academie des Beaux-Arts in Town, although he was to nurture denied the post of Academic of Painting up on which he set his heart.

Purify continued however to work affirmation his oil painting with comprehensive care - some of rule canvases taking up to 10 years to complete - trip remained a regular exhibitor. Dirt enjoyed immense popularity during queen lifetime, as is shown close to the phenomenal prices paid storage some of his works; bankruptcy sold Napoleon in 1814 monitor 1890 for 850,000 francs, current his oil painting Cuirassiers let in a whopping £10,000.

Less well-known progression his success in printmaking: mark, for example, his etchings - The Last Supper, The Thoughtful Player, The Old Smoker, honesty Preparations for a Duel, sports ground The Reporting Sergeant, all break off the Wallace Collection.

He extremely explored lithography, although surviving railroad are rare.

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