Charles-Amable Lenoir (22 October 1860 – 1926) was a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...

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 ...

. Like his mentor,

William-Adolphe Bouguereau William-Adolphe Bouguereau (; 30 November 1825 – 19 August 1905) was a French academic painter. In his realistic genre paintings, he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female ...

, he was an

academic painter Academic art, or academicism or academism, is a style of painting and sculpture produced under the influence of European academies of art. Specifically, academic art is the art and artists influenced by the standards of the French Académi ...

and painted realistic portraits as well as mythological and religious scenes. His artistic career was so prestigious that he won 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 ...

twice and was awarded the ''

Légion d'honneur 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 Napoleon B ...

''.

Biography

Lenoir was born in Châtellaillon, a small town just outside

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. Wit ...

. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a customs officer. When he was young, his father was reassigned and the family moved to

Fouras Fouras, also known as Fouras-les-Bains (), is a commune in the French department of Charente-Maritime, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes). It lies 34 km south of La Rochelle. Geography Fouras is on ...

. He did not start out in life as an artist, but instead began his education at a teachers' college in La Rochelle. Upon graduation, he worked as a teacher and supervisor at the ''

lycée In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

'' in Rochefort. In August 1883 he was accepted into the

École des Beaux-Arts de Paris The Beaux-Arts de Paris is a French ''grande école'' whose primary mission is to provide high-level arts education and training. This is classical and historical School of Fine Arts in France. The art school, which is part of the Paris Sciences ...

. He also joined the

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the numbe ...

where he was a student of William-Adolphe Bouguereau and

Tony Robert-Fleury Tony Robert-Fleury (1 September 18378 December 1911) was a French painter, known primarily for historical scenes. He was also a prominent art teacher, with many famous artists among his students. Biography He was born just outside Paris, and st ...

. Lenoir made his artistic debut 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 1887 and continued to exhibit there until his death. He was quickly noticed in the art world, and in 1889 won the Second Prix de Rome for his painting, ''Jésus et le paralytique'' (''Jesus and a Sick Man with Palsy''), and he won the First Prix de Rome the following year for ''Le Reniement de Saint Pierre'' (''The Denial of St. Peter''). His awards did not stop with the Prix de Rome; works shown at the Salons also won prizes, and he received a third-class medal in 1892 for ''Le Grenier a Vingt Ans'' (''The Garret at twenty years'') and a second-class medal in 1896 for ''La Mort de Sappho'' (''The Death of Sappho''). In 1900, he won a bronze medal at the

world's fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...

in Paris for ''Le Calme'' (''The Calm''), a painting of his new wife, Eugénie Lucchesi. In tribute to his lasting appeal, Lenoir was appointed a Chevalier de la

in 1903. He kept a house in Fouras and returned every summer. He died there and was buried on 1 August 1926. In order to commemorate him, a monument was erected there in 1937 which stands to this day.1926 is usually given as the year of his death, although it is not certain
Bibliothèque nationale de France
an
Agence Photographique Réunion des Musées Nationaux
refrain from giving a date

an
Christie's
give 1940. File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.jpg, '' A la Recherche du Temps Perdu'' File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - The Pink Rose.jpg, ''The Pink Rose'' File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - The Flute Player.jpg, ''The Flute Player'' File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - Jeune fille grecque.jpg, ''Day Dreams'' File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - Le Calme.jpg, Lenoir's award-winning ''Le Calme'', which he painted using his 21-year-old wife as a model. File:Lenoir, Charles-Amable - A Nymph In The Forest.jpg, ''A Nymph In The Forest'' File:Charles Amable Lenoir - The Death of Sappho (1896).jpg, ''La Mort de Sapho''

Biography

See also

Notes

References

Further reading