Pierre Cécile Puvis De Chavannes

Place: Lyon

Born: 1824

Death: 1898

Biography:

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes was a French painter known for his mural painting, who came to be known as "the painter for France". He became the co-founder and president of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and his work influenced many other artists, notably Robert Genin, and he aided medallists by designs and suggestions for their works. Puvis de Chavannes was a prominent painter in the early Third Republic.

Early Life and Training

Puvis de Chavannes was born Pierre-Cécile Puvis in a suburb of Lyon, France, on December 14, 1824. He was the son of a mining engineer and descended from an old noble family of Burgundy. He later added the ancestral "de Chavannes" to his name. Throughout his life, he spurned his Lyon origins, preferring to identify himself with the 'strong' blood of the Burgundians, where his father originated. Puvis de Chavannes was educated at the Amiens College and at the Lycée Henri IV in Paris.

Work and Style

Puvis de Chavannes's work is seen as symbolist in nature, even though he studied with some of the romanticists, and he is credited with influencing an entire generation of painters and sculptors, particularly the works of the Modernists. One of his protégés was Georges de Feure. His first commission was for his brother's chateau, Le Brouchy, a medieval-style structure near Cuiseaux in Saône-et-Loire. The principal decorations take the four seasons as their theme. Puvis de Chavannes is best known for his mural painting, and came to be known as 'the painter for France.' His first public commissions came early in the 1860s, with work at the Musée de Picardie at Amiens. The first four works were Concordia (1861), Bellum (1861), Le Travail (Work; 1863) and Le Repos (Rest; 1863). Between 1883 and 1886 he painted a mural for the Museum of Fine Arts in Lyon.

• The Woodcutters by Puvis de Chavannes is a fascinating work of art that showcases the artist's unique style and technique. Created in 1873, this oil on canvas painting measures 76 x 111 cm and is currently housed at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
• Puvis de Chavannes's work can be found in various museums, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen, which has a rich collection of Western art from the 15th to 21st centuries.
• For more information on Puvis de Chavannes and his work, visit Pierre Cécile Puvis De Chavannes or Pierre Puvis de Chavannes on Wikipedia.

Legacy

Puvis de Chavannes's legacy is that of a master painter who influenced an entire generation of artists. His work can be found in various museums and private collections, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen and the San Antonio Museum of Art. His unique style and technique have made him one of the most important painters of the 19th century. Visit The Woodcutters to see an example of his work.