Through work I stumbled upon an artist who I had not thought about for years and who I had briefly studied whilst at school. This artist sums up 19th Century French academic style (the kind of reserved, methodical approach that the French Impressionists believed was repressing artistic and social expression). This was of course Alexandre Cabanel, who epitomised the 'high art' ideals of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He had won the Prix de Rome by the tender age of twenty-two and was awarded the Grande Medaille D'Honneur no less than three times. His models were Classical ideals of beauty, aloof and mystical. His most famous and iconic work was 'The Birth of Venus', 1863, which was bought by Emperor Napoleon III.
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| 'The Birth of Venus' 1863 |
Although this portrait is unbelievably 'fake' and rather ridiculously sentimental, I cant help but love it. Its so other worldy, and so sumptuously painted that the Venus's body looks like icing on a cake.
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| 'The Daughter of Jephthah' 1879 |
Again with the mystical beauty. Reminds me of the Pre-Raphaelite approach to their female subjects, remote, removed and never in the same realm as the spectator.
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| 'Echo' 1887 |
In this work it is amazing to see how the figure's flesh can be seen through the iridescent cloth covering her body. Despite her strong pose, it makes her appear vulnerable, especially as she seems to cower against the rock. Here are a few more:
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| 'Phedre' 1880 |
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| 'The Masked Beauty' |
I could go on, I think I may be obsessed...
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