Merry-joseph blondel biography of albert
Home / General Biography Information / Merry-joseph blondel biography of albert
His style evolved from an early naturalism towards a more pronounced classicism, but this classicism could accommodate a degree of pathos or grandeur that resonated with contemporary tastes moving beyond the revolutionary austerity of David's earlier period. He won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1803 for his painting of AeneasCarrying His Father Anchises, but didn’t take his place at the Villa Médicis in Rome until 1809, due to the suspension of scholarships.
He remained a respected figure, though perhaps seen as more conservative as Romanticism and then Realism, championed by artists like Gustave Courbet (1819-1877), began to dominate the avant-garde.
For a period after his death in Paris in 1853, Blondel's work, like that of many academic painters of his generation, was somewhat overshadowed by the more revolutionary movements that followed.
The subject, a classic tale of filial piety and heroism from Virgil's Aeneid, was a favorite among Neoclassical artists. The dramatic lighting, highlighting the figures against the chaos of the burning city, would have added to the scene's impact.
The Death of Louis XII, Surnamed the Father of the People (1817): This painting, which secured him a gold medal at the Salon, depicted a poignant moment from French history.
Within a year, Blondel had acquired the nickname Monsieur Cinq-Prix (Mr Five-prizes) among his peers at the studio, on account of the number of medals and prizes he had won for his drawing.[7] Another year on and Blondel's entry to the 1803 salon, a painting depicting Aeneas rescuing his father from the burning city of Troy, won him the Grand Prix de Rome.
These included extensive works for the Palace of Versailles, the Château de Fontainebleau, the Louvre Museum (specifically, ceilings in the Greek and Egyptian antiquities galleries), and the Luxembourg Palace. His portraits demonstrate the same meticulous attention to detail and refined finish seen in his larger works.
One notable example is his Family Portrait, which depicts the heads and shoulders of four anonymous individuals.
Such portraits provided a steady source of income and allowed him to explore more intimate character studies, away from the heroic demands of history painting. While perhaps not a radical innovator, Merry-Joseph Blondel was a master of his craft, a successful and respected artist who navigated the complex artistic currents of his era with distinction.
Ingres, who had won the Prix de Rome in 1801 but also faced delays in his departure, was in Rome during Blondel's tenure. This tale, popular throughout art history, offered opportunities to depict themes of love, trial, and divine beauty. His primary focus was on grand historical, mythological, and religious subjects, genres that were held in the highest esteem by the Academy.
It was during these formative years that Blondel began to cultivate the rigorous draughtsmanship and compositional clarity that would become hallmarks of his Neoclassical approach. However, due to a change in the system and the temporary suspension of scholarships, no students were sent to the French Academy in Rome that year and Blondel would have to wait until 1809 before he could take his place at the Villa Medici.[8]
Rome and Ingres
On arrival at the Villa Medici in Rome in 1809, Blondel struck up a friendship with fellow student Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres which, as correspondence between the two artists demonstrated, lasted for the rest of their lives.
When Blondel was unexpectedly overlooked for the position of director of the academy in 1840, Ingres sent him a "lengthy and heartfelt" letter of condolence.[9]
Further Awards
After three years in Rome, Blondel returned to Paris and became a regular exhibitor at the Louvre salon exhibitions.
This membership solidified his status as a leading figure in the official art world, giving him a voice in artistic policy, Salon juries, and the awarding of prizes like the Prix de Rome that had launched his own career.
His relationship with Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres remained a significant aspect of his professional life. Their enduring friendship, forged in Rome, was based on shared artistic principles and a deep commitment to the classical tradition, even as Ingres himself developed a highly idiosyncratic and sometimes controversial style.
His compositions are typically well-ordered, with clear outlines, smooth brushwork (a "licked finish"), and an emphasis on anatomical accuracy and idealized human forms. This work gained an unusual form of posthumous notoriety: a version of this painting, or a significant work by Blondel on a similar theme, was reportedly on board the RMS Titanic when it sank in 1912, and was thus lost to the sea, an ironic echo of Icarus's own fate.
This accolade firmly established his reputation and marked the beginning of a highly successful career as an official decorative painter.
His skill in handling large-scale compositions and historical narratives made him a sought-after artist for major public and private commissions.
Blondel's 1814 painting La Circassienne au Bain became infamous during the early part of the 20th century for being the subject of the largest claim for financial compensation made against the White Star Line, for a single item of luggage lost by a passenger on the RMS Titanic.[3]
Early life
Merry-Joseph was born on 25 July 1781 to Joseph-Armand Blondel (1740–1805), a painter and expert in stucco decoration, and his second wife Marie-Geneviève Marchand (died 1819).
He remained in Rome from 1809 to 1812. He became an influential figure within the French artistic establishment.