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Constant Mayer (October 3, 1829 – May 12, 1911) was a French
Constant Mayer (October 3, 1829 – May 12, 1911) was a French painter
Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
who emigrated to the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Mayer was born in Besançon
Besançon (, ; , ; archaic ; ) is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Doubs in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The city is located in Eastern France, close to the Jura Mountains and the border with Switzerland.
Capi ...
, France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
to a Jewish family. He studied in Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in the École des Beaux-Arts
; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...
and under Léon Cogniet, and followed his profession in that city until 1854, when he moved to New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Mayer worked as a colorist at the photography studio of Jeremiah Gurney and CD Fredericks, at 340 Broadway, in Manhattan. With his own studio, at 1155 Broadway, he became known for his genre or historical paintings based on literature, and particularly for his portraits. He also created many sketches and drawings. His sentimental Civil War-themed painting, "Recognition" of 1865, drew considerable attention over the years. In 1869, Mayer was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honor
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
. He had been elected an associate of the National Academy of Design
The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Frederick Styles Agate, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, an ...
in 1866, and was also a member of the American Art Union.
Mayer left the U.S. in 1869 for Paris, where he died in 1911. In his will he left much of his assets to Jewish causes - in particular Jewish orphanages. Several of Mayer's works appear in the collections of world-renowned museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
and the Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...
.
Works
Mayer is best known by his life-sized genre pictures. He contributed frequently to theParis Salon
The Salon (), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the ...
. His works include portraits of General Grant of 1866 and General Sherman. Other works include:
* "Beggar-Girl" (1863)
* "Consolation" (1864)
* "Recognition" (1865)
* "Good Words" (1866)
* "Riches and Poverty"
* "Maud Muller"
* "Street Melodies" (1867)
* "Early Grief" (1869)
* "Oracle of the Field"
* "Song of the Shirt" (1875)
* "Song of the Twilight" (1879)
* "In the Woods" (1880)
* "The Vagabonds" (1881)
* "Lord's Day" (1883)
* "Lawn Tennis" (1883)
* "Mandolin Player" (1884)
* "First Grief" (1885)
* "The First Communion" (1886)
* "The Sewing School"
Notes
References
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mayer, Constant 1829 births 1911 deaths 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century American male artists 19th-century American painters American male painters 20th-century American painters Knights of the Legion of Honour French emigrants to the United States Painters from New York City 19th-century American male artists 19th-century French male artists