Ready for a good Summer read? We’re pleased to feature artist Henri Fantin-Latour for our Summer 2021 Art History 101 Blog! You hadn’t heard of him either? Well, stay tuned. You’re in for a treat.
You see, one of my favorite things about working for Pastimes for a Lifetime is being asked to research and write about the lesser known master painters for the school’s Blog. For our students and readers, it can be very inspiring to learn about these remarkable artists, their techniques, and subject matter. It definitely gets my creative juices flowing!
When my boss, Linda Wehrli, recently elected French painter and lithographer, Henri Fantin-Latour for our next Art History 101 Blog, I drew a blank. The name didn’t ring a bell, but when I Googled him, I immediately recognized his stunning floral paintings. I was eager to learn more about this master artist!
-
- “Summer Flowers”
-
- “Roses in a Bowl”
-
- “Roses and Lilies”
-
- “Larkspur”
But first, a little background about the artist, courtesy of the henri-fantin-latour.org website.
Ignace Henri Jean Fantin-Latour was a French painter and lithographer who lived from 1836 – 1904. His dad was portrait painter and teacher, Theodore Fantin-Latour. His mom was from Russia. In 1841, his family moved from Grenoble to Paris.
Fantin-Latour started drawing at an early age, taught by his father. From 1850 through 1854, Henri studied drawing at the school of Lecoq de Boisbaudran. After a short period at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he worked temporarily at French painter Gustave Courbet‘s studio. Wow!
From 1853 onward, Fantin-Latour regularly copied works by the old masters in the Louvre, as well as paintings by Eugene Delacroix in the Musee du Luxembourg. That was the tradition back then. For 12 years, Fantin-Latour lived mainly by copying the master painters! Talk about dedication.
-
- “Paolo Veronese 1580c Crucifixion”
-
- “Impatiens, Peaches and Apricots”
-
- “La Causerie”
-
- “Violets and Wallflowers”
Fantin-Latour began to surround himself with other successful artists during that time. He met Edgar Degas in the Louvre in 1855, Édouard Manet in 1857 and Berthe Morisot in 1858. He also became friends with the great American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler and the two artists, along with Alphonse Legros, formed the Societe des Trois. Their fearless little Société enabled them to transition from the student to professional phases of their careers.
-
- Edgar Degas
-
- Berthe Morisot
-
- Alphonse Legros
In 1859, Whistler invited Henri to visit London. With Alphonse Legros and the amateur engraver Edwin Edwards he was able to scope out the art scene there. In 1864 Henri was able to exhibit at the Royal Academy. Very exciting! In London, Fantin-Latour’s flower pieces were becoming very popular. His painting, La Feerie was displayed at the Salon des Refuses. Despite close contacts and friendship with Impressionists, for some reason Henri rejected their theories and never took part in their exhibitions.
-
- “La Feerie”
In addition to his paintings, Fantin-Latour created ingenious lithographs visually describing the music of some of the great classical composers. So cool! Linda will especially appreciate this, as she is a big classical music fan. 🙂 Henri’s many lithographs and paintings inspired by imaginative themes, reveal his romantic passion for Richard Wagner, Hector Berlioz, and Robert Schumann. These works strongly influenced later symbolist painters, such as Odilon Redon.
-
- “Hector Berlioz; Symphony Fantastique – A Ball”
-
- “Love Poems by Brahms”
Henri also experimented with graphite, charcoal, and pen & ink! Pastimes’ students will appreciate this, as Linda teaches all 3 mediums as part of the Drawing Course Curriculum.
-
- “Self Portrait”, Pen & Ink
-
- “Female Nude”, Charcoal
-
- “Five Men Around a Table in a Tavern”, Graphite & Pen
In 1876, Henri Fantin-Latour married a fellow painter, Victoria Dubourg. They spent summers on her family’s country estate Bure, Orne in Basse-Normandie where sadly, he eventually died of lyme disease. In 1879, Fantin-Latour was posthumously awarded the Legion d’Honneur medal.
Interested in buying one of Fantin-Latour’s paintings? Today, they only sell for around $2.5 million each! 😀
Well, we hope you enjoyed this summer’s Art History 101 blog and are inspired to learn more about this remarkable French artist.
•••••••••••
Art History 101 reviews selected artists from periods of history that continue to influence today’s culture and taste. If you enjoyed this story, please feel free to share on your favorite social media. Comments appreciated! If there is an artist you would like us to feature, please comment below. Thank you for your support!
Want first notice on more upcoming cultural events and tours? Subscribe now!
For more on Pastimes for a Lifetime’s Art Curriculum, and founder/instructor Linda Wehrli, visit the website.
Let’s be Social! Pastimes for a Lifetime on Facebook and Instagram
Jessica Lee Sanders on Instagram and Facebook
I’ve been committed to continuing lifelong learning and inspiring creative thinking through art and music since 1989. I’d love to meet you! You’re welcome to chat with me on Zoom or stop by the studio. Just shoot me an email at Linda@pastimesinc.com and I’ll be glad to set up a mutually convenient time.
I like his pictures, because they portray people as nice-looking, revealing his kindness toward humanity. Also, pictures created in those days often showed very fine detail, which is admirable, in my opinion.
Thanks for doing research in art history, Mrs. Wehrli. My deceased mother studied art history at Heidelberg University in Germany, leaving me to inherit her art history books. I enjoy reading them from time to time.
So glad you enjoyed the blog. I share the kudos with my assistant, Jessica Lee Sanders who put this great Art History read together. I remember learning about Omi’s art history studies and have enjoyed seeing some of her collection of art history books.
Great art and history lesson. Floral paintings are so lovely. They are one of my favorite art studies.
.
Thank you for the kind review. So glad you enjoyed!