Léon Cogniet (29 August 1794 – 20 November 1880) was a French history and portrait painter. He is probably best remembered as a teacher, with more than one hundred notable students.

Biography

He was born in Paris. His father was a painter and wallpaper designer. In 1812, he enrolled at 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 ...

, where he studied with

Pierre-Narcisse Guérin Pierre-Narcisse, baron Guérin (13 March 1774 – 6 July 1833) was a French painter born in Paris. Background A pupil of Jean-Baptiste Regnault, he carried off one of the three ''grands prix'' offered in 1796, in consequence of the competitio ...

. He also worked in the studios of Jean-Victor Bertin. After failing an attempt to win 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 ...

in 1816, he won the following year with his depiction of ''Helen Rescued by Castor and Pollux''Grunchec, P. (1985). ''The Grand Prix de Rome: Paintings from the École des Beaux-Arts, 1797-1863''. Washington, DC: International Exhibitions Foundation. p. 66. . and received a stipend to study at the

French Academy in Rome The French Academy in Rome (french: Académie de France à Rome) is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio (Pincian Hill) in Rome, Italy. History The Academy was founded at the Palazzo Capranica in ...

until 1822. Before leaving, he had his first exhibition 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 1827, he created a series of murals on the life of

Saint Stephen Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...

for the church of Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs. From 1833 to 1835, he painted a scene from

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

's expedition to Egypt on one of the ceilings at the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the '' Venus de Milo''. A central ...

. Between 1840 and 1860, he operated a popular painting workshop for women, directed by his sister Marie Amélie and one of his students, Catherine Caroline Thévenin (1813–1892), who later became his wife. After 1843, he concentrated almost entirely on teaching, with an occasional portrait. After 1855, he essentially gave up painting. After 1831, he taught design at the

Lycée Louis-le-Grand The Lycée Louis-le-Grand (), also referred to simply as Louis-le-Grand or by its acronym LLG, is a public Lycée (French secondary school, also known as sixth form college) located on rue Saint-Jacques in central Paris. It was founded in the ...

. He also taught at the

École polytechnique 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 ...

from 1847 to 1861. In 1851, he was appointed a Professor at the École des Beaux-arts, a position he held until 1863, when he retired, slowly giving up his private students and becoming more reclusive. He died forgotten in the

10th arrondissement of Paris The 10th arrondissement of Paris (''Xe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''dixième'' ("10th arrondissement of Paris" = "dixième arrondisse ...

in 1880 and is interred at Père-Lachaise. His sister was the painter Marie Amélie Cogniet.

Selected works

History paintings: * ''La Garde nationale de Paris part pour l’armée, Septembre 1792'' (The Paris National Guard on its way to the Army, September 1792) * ''Tintoretto painting his dead daughter'' (1843;

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux is the fine arts museum of the city of Bordeaux, France. The museum is housed in a dependency of the Palais Rohan in central Bordeaux. Its collections include paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 15t ...

) * ''Scenes of July 1830'' Portraits: * ''Maréchal Maison'' * ''Louis Philippe'' * ''M. de Crillon'' * ''

Jean-François Champollion Jean-François Champollion (), also known as Champollion ''le jeune'' ('the Younger'; 23 December 17904 March 1832), was a French philologist and orientalist, known primarily as the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs and a founding figure in t ...

'' File:Cogniet Castor et Pollux.JPG, ''

Helen Helen may refer to: People * Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world * Helen (actress) (born 1938), Indian actress * Helen (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places * Helen, ...

Rescued by

Castor and Pollux Castor; grc, Κάστωρ, Kástōr, beaver. and Pollux. (or Polydeukes). are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri.; grc, Διόσκουροι, Dióskouroi, sons of Zeus, links=no, from ''Dîos'' ('Z ...

'', 1817 File:Jean-François Champollion, by Léon Cogniet.jpg, ''Jean-François Champollion'', 1831 File:Leon Cogniet - L Expedition D Egypte Sous Les Ordres De Bonaparte.jpg, ''The Egyptian Expedition Under the Command of Bonaparte'', ceiling at the

, 1835

Pupils

Among his numerous students were: * Pedro Américo * Félix-Joseph Barrias * Louis-Ernest Barrias *

Émile Bayard Émile-Antoine Bayard (2 November 1837 – 6 December 1891) was a French illustrator born in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Seine-et-Marne. A student of Léon Cogniet, he is known for his illustration of Cosette from ''Les Misérables'' by Victor Hugo ...

François-Léon Benouville François-Léon Benouville (Paris 30 March 1821 – 16 February 1859 Paris) was a French painter noted for his Neoclassical religious compositions and for painting Orientalist subjects. Life and career Léon Benouville first studied with hi ...

* Émile Bin * Nils Blommér *

Rosa Bonheur Rosa Bonheur (born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur; 16 March 1822 – 25 May 1899) was a French artist known best as a painter of animals ( animalière). She also made sculpture in a realist style. Her paintings include ''Ploughing in the Nivernais'', fir ...

Léon Bonnat Léon Joseph Florentin Bonnat (20 June 1833 – 8 September 1922) was a French painter, Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur and professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Early life Bonnat was born in Bayonne, but from 1846 to 1853 he lived in M ...

Alfred Boucher Alfred Boucher (23 September 1850 – 1934) was a French sculptor who was a mentor to Camille Claudel and a friend of Auguste Rodin. Biography Born in Bouy-sur-Ovin (Nogent-sur-Seine), he was the son of a farmhand who became the gardener of the s ...

* Marie-Abraham Rosalbin de Buncey * Adolphe-Félix Cals * Henriette Cappelaere *

Henri Chapu Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu (29 September 1833 – 21 April 1891) was a French sculptor in a modified Neoclassical tradition who was known for his use of allegory in his work. Life and career Born in Le Mée-sur-Seine into modest circumstances, ...

François Chifflart François-Nicolas Chifflart (21 March 1825 – 19 March 1901) was a French painter, illustrator and etcher. Biography He was born in Saint-Omer. His father was a locksmith who was also known for his skill as a carver and worked for Louis Fiole ...

Pierre Auguste Cot Pierre Auguste Cot (; 17 February 1837 – 2 August 1883) was a French painter of the Academic Classicism school. Life and career Cot was born in Bédarieux, Hérault, and initially studied at l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse before going t ...

* Alfred Darjou * Alfred de Dreux * Alfred Dehodencq *

Godefroy Durand Godefroy Durand (1832, Düsseldorf – 27 September 1896, Paris) was a German-born French illustrator and draughtsman, who worked in both France and Great Britain. Life Durand was born in Düsseldorf to French parents. He trained in Paris und ...

* Louis Duveau * Augustin Feyen-Perrin * Claude Ferdinand Gaillard *

Wojciech Gerson Wojciech Gerson (; July 1, 1831 – February 25, 1901) was a leading Polish painter of the mid-19th century, and one of the foremost representatives of the Polish school of Realism during the foreign Partitions of Poland. He served as long-time ...

* Karl Girardet *

Eugène Ernest Hillemacher Eugène Ernest Hillemacher (13 October 1818, Paris – 3 March 1887, Paris) was a French history, portrait and genre painter in the Academic style. Biography His mother was the youngest sister of the Belgian painter and etcher, Frédéric ...

* Jean-Paul Laurens *

Jules Lefebvre Jules Joseph Lefebvre (; 14 March 183624 February 1911) was a French figure painter, educator and theorist. Early life Lefebvre was born in Tournan-en-Brie Tournan-en-Brie (, literally ''Tournan in Brie''), or simply Tournan, is a commune i ...

* Diogène Maillart * Francisco Masias Rodriguez * Oscar-Pierre Mathieu * Constant Mayer *

Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier (; 21 February 181531 January 1891) was a French Classicist painter and sculptor famous for his depictions of Napoleon, his armies and military themes. He documented sieges and manoeuvres and was the teacher of É ...

* Hugues Merle * Charles Louis Müller *

Ion Negulici Ion Negulici (1812 in Câmpulung – 5 April 1851 in Istanbul) was a Romanian painter who participated in the Wallachian Revolution of 1848. Biography His father was a priest and he learned the rudiments of art by painting icons.Victor Nehlig * Dominique Papety *

Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux (3 April 1815 – 8 November 1884) was a French artist and illustrator, known primarily as a battle painter. Life and works He was born in Paris, France, studied art at the studio of Léon Cogniet, and first ...

Paul Philippoteaux Paul Dominique Philippoteaux (27 January 1846 – 28 June 1923) was a French artist. He is best known for a cyclorama illustrating the Battle of Gettysburg. Life and career Paul Philippoteaux was born in Paris, the son of the French artist ...

Adolphe Piot Étienne Adolphe Piot (1831 – 1910) was a French painter known for his portraits of young women. He exhibited in the Paris Salons from 1850 to 1909. Little is known about his life. Life Étienne-Adolphe Piot was born 13 February 1831 in Digo ...

Gustav Richter Gustav Richter (12 November 1913 – 5 June 1997) was an aide to Adolf Eichmann, an adviser on Jewish affairs ('' Judenberater''), during Nazism era. He was a member of the Nazi Party and of the '' SS'', the paramilitary organization of the Na ...

* Tony Robert-Fleury *

Henryk Rodakowski Henryk Hipolit Rodakowski (; 1823–1894) was a Polish painter. Biography He came from a well-known family of lawyers. Continuing the family tradition between 1841 and 1845, he studied law in Vienna. Later he studied painting under Joseph Danha ...

* Louis Rubio * Eugénie Salanson * Hippolyte Sebron *

Charles Sellier Charles Edward Sellier Jr. (November 9, 1943 – January 31, 2011) was an American television producer, screenwriter, novelist and director, best known for creating the American book and television series '' The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams' ...

* Alexandre Ségé * Emma Formstetcher * August Schenck

Notes

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cogniet, Leon 1794 births 1880 deaths 19th-century French painters École des Beaux-Arts alumni Painters from Paris Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery French male painters French romantic painters French portrait painters French history painters Members of the Académie des beaux-arts Orientalist painters Prix de Rome for painting Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class) Sibling artists Lycée Louis-le-Grand teachers 19th-century French male artists