Jean-Jacques Henner (5 March 1829 – 23 July 1905) was a French

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

, noted for his use of

sfumato Sfumato (, ) is a painting technique for softening the transition between colours, mimicking an area beyond what the human eye is focusing on, or the out-of-focus plane. It is one of the canonical painting modes of the Renaissance. Leonardo da ...

and

chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...

in painting nudes, religious subjects and portraits.

Biography

Henner was born at Bernwiller (

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

). He began his studies in art as a pupil of

Michel Martin Drolling Michel Martin Drolling (7 March 1786 – 9 January 1851) was a neoclassic French painter, painter of history and portraitist. Biography He was born in Paris. There, he began painting under the supervision of his father, the painter Martin Dr ...

and

François-Édouard Picot François-Édouard Picot (; 10 October 1786 in Paris – 15 March 1868 in Paris) was a French painter during the July Monarchy, painting mythological, religious and historical subjects. Life Born in Paris, Picot won the Prix de Rome paint ...

. In 1848, he entered the

École des Beaux Arts École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

in Paris, and took the

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

with a painting of ''Adam and Eve finding the Body of Abel'' in 1858. In Rome, he was guided by

Flandrin Flandrin is a French surname. Notable people with the surname include a family of 19th and 20th-century painters: *Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin (1809–1864), French painter, the best-known of the family * Paul Flandrin (1811–1902), painter, brother o ...

, and painted four pictures for the gallery at

Colmar Colmar (, ; Alsatian: ' ; German during 1871–1918 and 1940–1945: ') is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it i ...

among other works. He first exhibited ''Bather Asleep'' at the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon ( ...

in 1863 and subsequently contributed ''Chaste Susanna'' (1865), now in the

Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) ( en, Orsay Museum) is a museum in Paris, France, on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French a ...

. Other noted works include: ''Byblis turned into a Spring'' (1867); ''The Magdalene'' (1878); ''Portrait of M. Hayem'' (1878); ''Christ Entombed'' (1879); ''

Saint Jerome Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian priest, confessor, theologian, and historian; he is co ...

'' (1881); '' Bara'' (1882); ''

Herodias Herodias ( el, Ἡρῳδιάς, ''Hērǭdiás''; ''c.'' 15 BC – after AD 39) was a princess of the Herodian dynasty of Judaea during the time of the Roman Empire. Christian writings connect her with John the Baptist's execution. Family rel ...

'' (1887); ''A Study'' (1891); ''Christ in His Shroud'' and a ''Portrait of

Carolus-Duran Charles Auguste Émile Durand, known as Carolus-Duran (Lille 4 July 1837 – 17 February 1917 Paris), was a French painter and art instructor. He is noted for his stylish depictions of members of high society in Third Republic France. Biograph ...

'' (1896); a ''Portrait of Mlle Fouquier'' (1897); and ''The Dream'' (1900). ''The Levite of the Tribe of Ephraim'' (1898) was awarded a first-class medal. Among other professional distinctions, Henner also took a Grand Prix for painting at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1900. He was made Chevalier of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...

in 1873, Officer in 1878, and Commander in 1889. In 1889, he succeeded

Cabanel Alexandre Cabanel (; 28 September 1823 – 23 January 1889) was a French painter. He painted historical, classical and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well known as a portrait painter. According to ''Diccionario Enciclopedi ...

in the

Institut de France The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institut ...

. Henner's most widely known work is his 1885 painting of

Saint Fabiola Fabiola was a nurse (physician) and Roman matron of rank of the company of noble Roman women who, under the influence of the Church father Jerome, gave up all earthly pleasures and devoted themselves to the practice of Christian asceticism and ch ...

. Although the original is now lost, it was copied by artists around the world for devotional purposes. Artist

Francis Alÿs Francis Alÿs (born 1959, Antwerp) is a Belgian-born, Mexico-based artist. His work emerges in the interdisciplinary space of art, architecture, and social practice. In 1986, Alÿs left behind his profession as an architect and relocated to Mex ...

has collected over 500 copies of the painting in a variety of media. The collection is known as the "Fabiola Project". Henner died at age 76 in Paris.

Pupils

Henner had numerous pupils; among them were the American painter

Mathilde Mueden Leisenring Mathilde Mueden Leisenring (1870–1949) was an American painter, mainly of portraits. Born in Washington, D.C., Leisenring studied at the Art Students League of Washington and the Art Students League of New York. From 1897 to 1899 she studied ...

and the Romanian artist

Dimitrie Serafim Dimitrie Serafim (1862 – 1931) was a Romanian painter in the Academic art, Academic and Impressionism, Impressionist styles. Biography Serafim was born in Bucharest. His father, Anton Serafim (1838-1911) was a Religious art, church painter of ...

. From 1874 to 1889, organized with

, what he called "the studio of the ladies" for women were not allowed entry to the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centur ...

. Some also served as his models. One of these was Dorothy Tennant who later married

Henry Morton Stanley Sir Henry Morton Stanley (born John Rowlands; 28 January 1841 – 10 May 1904) was a Welsh-American explorer, journalist, soldier, colonial administrator, author and politician who was famous for his exploration of Central Africa and his sear ...

. w:fr:Jean-Jacques Henner Another pupil was Elizabeth Snowden Nichols Watrous (1858–1921), later the wife of artist

Harry Watrous Harry Willson Watrous (17 September 1857 – 10 May 1940) was an American artist who received an academic education in France. His paintings included genre scenes, stylized figural works, landscapes, nocturnes, portraits, religious subjects, and ...

. Henner gave them a painting when they were married in 1887."Elizabeth Watrous, Painter, is Dead,"
''American Art News'', Vol. 20, No. 2 (Oct. 22, 1921), p. 6.

Suzanne Valadon Suzanne Valadon (23 September 18657 April 1938) was a French painter who was born Marie-Clémentine Valadon at Bessines-sur-Gartempe, Haute-Vienne, France. In 1894, Valadon became the first woman painter admitted to the Société Nationale des ...

(1865–1938) also worked as one of his models.

Bibliography

* E Bricon, ''Psychologie d'art'' (Paris, 1900); C Phillips, ''Art Journal'' (1888) * Frederick Wedmore, ''Magazine of Art'' (1888). * Isabelle de Lannoy, ''Catalogue raisonne Jean-Jacques Henner 1829-1905'' 008

Gallery

Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Reclining Nude.jpg, ''Reclining Nude'',
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Image:1869 Jean-Jacques Henner - Woman on a black divan.jpg, '' Woman on a Black Divan'',
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Mulhouse Image:Jean Jacques Henner - La liseuse.jpg, ''La liseuse'',
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Nus féminins.jpg, ''Nus féminins''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Jesus at the Tomb.jpg, ''Jésus au tombeau''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Jules Janssen Orsay.jpg, '' Jules Janssen''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner Portrait D-Homme.jpg, ''Portrait d'homme''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Portrait of a Young Girl with a Bow in Her Hair.jpg, ''Portrait of a Young Girl with a Bow in Her Hair'', private collection Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Alsatian Girl.jpg, ''Alsatian Girl'',
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Image:Fabiola - Jean Jacques Henner.png, ''

''
copy of lost original Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Study Of A Woman In Red.jpg, ''Study of a Woman in Red'', The Hermitage,
St. Petersburg, Russia Image:Jean Jacques Henner - A Red haired Beauty.jpg, ''A Red-Haired Beauty'',
private collection Image:Brooklyn Museum - Head of a Girl - Jean Jacques Henner.jpg, ''Head of a Girl'' -

Brooklyn Museum The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Cro ...

Image:Jean Jacques Henner - The Chaste Susannah.jpg, ''The Chaste Susannah''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris Image:Jean Jacques Henner le reveil de l enfant.jpg, ''Le réveil de l'enfant''
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon Image:Jean Jacques Henner - Solitude.jpg, ''Penitent Magdalene'',
private collection - Cantor Arts Center, Stanford, California Image:Idylle-Jean-Jacques Henner-Orsay.jpg, ''Idylle''
Musée d'Orsay,
Paris

References

---- {{DEFAULTSORT:Henner, Jean-Jacques 1829 births 1905 deaths 19th-century French painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists Academic art French male painters Members of the Académie des beaux-arts Painters from Alsace People from Haut-Rhin Prix de Rome for painting French portrait painters 19th-century French male artists

Biography

Pupils

Bibliography

Gallery

See also

References