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Video: Because of what the official painter of Napoleonic victories took his own life: Antoine-Jean Gros
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
In June 1835, the body of a man was fished out of the Seine River in the vicinity of the town of Meudon. The investigation carried out established the identity and circumstances that led to this sad incident. The deceased turned out to be the artist Antoine-Jean Gros, the official painter of Napoleon I. Having survived his main customer and employer for fourteen years, Gros took his own life - when he realized that he had changed his life's work.
A career in defiance of the Revolution
At the time of his death, he was 64 years old. The life of Antoine-Jean Gros fell on dramatic and difficult times for France. He achieved a lot in his profession - to be at the mercy of one of the greatest European rulers, to gain his trust and to create for decades his image for contemporaries and descendants, an image of heroic and idealized - all this could not but be considered a real success.
Antoine-Jean was born on March 16, 1771 in Paris in the family of a miniaturist painter. These were the times of absolute monarchy, and the Rococo style reigned in art, and for the youngest Gro, life was at first preparing the same future as for his father. Gros Sr. was the first to give Antoine the skills of drawing and painting, and already in this capable and hardworking boy he was taught by Jacques-Louis David - the future artist of the Revolution, and for now - a teacher and member of the main French art academy. Antoine-Jean Gros became the master's favorite student.
At sixteen, Antoine-Jean entered the school at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, where he studied until 1792, when France was already three years in the grip of revolutionary unrest. It was dangerous to stay in the country further, and in 1793, with the help of Jacques-Louis David, the young artist was able to go to Italy, where at the same time he carried out a program to study the art of the Italian Renaissance, which is obligatory for graduates of the Academy. Gro visited Genoa, Milan, Florence, visited museums, made sketches from masterpieces of painting and antique statues, and in addition, he wrote his works, including portraits, which quickly brought him fame. In Genoa, the artist was lucky enough to meet Josephine Beauharnais, Napoleon's wife. She wished that Gro would accompany her on her trips to Italy and introduced the painter to her husband.
Service to Napoleon Bonaparte
Legend has it that during the battle of Arcole during the Italian campaign, Bonaparte rushed with a banner in his hands directly at the enemy, despite the fire from the Austrian side. According to another legend, Antoine-Jean Gros was also present at this battle. He painted a heroic portrait of Napoleon - "Bonaparte on the Arkolsky Bridge", which brought glory to both, and the commander in a romantic and even heroic image, and the artist, thanks to whom this image was embodied in the picture.
After that, Gro received an officer's rank and was hired to serve the Corsican, in addition to his main work - creating picturesque images of Napoleon - carrying out his other assignments. The artist was appointed a member of the commission that selected trophies - masterpieces of Italian art for their shipment to France.
In 1800, Gros returned to Paris, where he took part in the Salon, the most prestigious French art exhibition. His works won recognition one after another. Gro was entrusted to depict on his canvases such a Napoleon who would embody courage, determination, and the artist succeeded: after all, he himself was inspired by the personality of Bonaparte. In addition, Gro was one of those few who had the opportunity to paint portraits of the ruler from life; he accompanied the commander in his military campaigns, and this fascination with the personality of Napoleon, combined with the talent and skill of the artist, allowed him to create truly significant works.
Of course, it could not do without a significant amount of flattery - the image of the first consul, and then the emperor, had to be surrounded by an aura of grandeur and glory, reminiscent of the heroes of ancient myths. Excessive praise sometimes badly affected the final result, and therefore not all of Gro's paintings during Napoleon's service were successful. In 1802 Gros received the national painting award for his canvas The Battle of Nazareth, and in 1804 he painted one of his most successful works - Napoleon near the Plague Patients in Jaffa. Here Bonaparte appeared in an image reminiscent of Christ.
In addition to Napoleon, other characters appeared in Gro's paintings - members of the emperor's family and his generals. For fulfilling orders for portraits, the artist received generous fees, and once the emperor took off the Order of the Legion of Honor and presented it with his own hand to Gro. In 1811, Antoine-Jean was entrusted with painting the dome of the Pantheon - a giant plafond should, according to the emperor's idea, be decorated with images of the great Frankish and French rulers: Clovis, Charlemagne, Saint Louis and, of course, Bonaparte himself. However, Gro did not manage to finish the work during Napoleon's lifetime.
Restoration and decline
The Bourbon restoration, which began in 1815, changed the fate of Gros - in a way, in a fatal way. Jacques-Louis David left Paris forever, fleeing retribution for his assistance to the Revolution, and Antoine-Jean Gros took over from him a workshop and students. He moved away from romanticism in art, returning to academism. New paintings, now painted in the neoclassical style, were now distinguished by dryness and restraint. Portraits have ceased to attract new customers.
The painting of Napoleon's dome was completed in 1824, thirteen years after receiving the order. The image of Napoleon was replaced by the figure of Louis XVIII of Bourbon, and for such a renunciation of his former beliefs, Gros received the title of baron from the king.
Gro's work no longer received the rave reviews that accompanied his career in his youth. The loss of ideals, betrayal of his professional principles affected both the work and the life of the artist. Gradually, the demand for his paintings came to naught, orders for portraits were no longer received.
In June 1735, the artist committed suicide by throwing himself into the Seine. The last picture, painted in his studio, was the work "Hercules and Diomedes", very coolly received by critics.
Read also: four ladies who won the heart of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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