Jean-Jacques Henner was a painter and above all Alsatian. Born as a farmer's son in southern Alsace, he was very attached to his native soil. So much so that after the annexation of Alsace by Germany he took French citizenship, but returned at least once a year to the region of his childhood and youth. That is why Alsace is very present in his work, whether he was painting a landscape or its inhabitants. He began his career as an artist mainly with portraits and genre scenes from his immediate surroundings. His talent was quickly discovered by Charles Goutzwiller, who became his drawing teacher. Thanks to a scholarship, Jean-Jacques was able to continue his studies at the "École des Beaux-Arts" in Paris. During his stay in the French capital, he regularly visited museums. He was particularly taken with the Italian Renaissance painters, from Titian to Raphael to Corregio. But he also admired Holbein and the French of the time: Ingres, Prud'hon and Corot. These influences were to shape and develop him and his work.
However, good art wants to take time: So he initially made two unsuccessful attempts, before he then succeeded in 1858 but the win of the "Grand Prix de Rome". This circumstance led him for five years in the Italian metropolis, where in the Villa Medici met many other artists. Among them were, for example, the sculptor Falguière and the composer Bizet. Together with them, he made many trips to the surrounding area, soaking up the beautiful scenery and picturesque scenes of daily life.
Back from Rome, Henner first turned to naturalism. Influenced by Manet and Degas, he created, among others, the work "La Toilette". However, it is no longer preserved. The artist destroyed it after receiving negative reviews. Perhaps they were also the reason why he henceforth devoted himself more to portrait painting. And this very successfully. Henner was elected a member of the "Institut de France" and his paintings were purchased by the French state for the Musée du Luxembourg. Private art collectors also began to take an interest in him, including Alfred Chauchard. It also happened that in 1876 he received a commission from Louis Pasteur, the famous chemist: Henner was to paint a portrait of his daughter Marie-Luise. The father often accompanied her to the portrait sessions and spent many a chat hour with the artist. The two became close friends. Although Jean-Jacques Henner enjoyed a successful career as an artist, his works did not conform to the academic ideal of the time. In general, it is hardly possible to classify Henner's work and assign it to an artistic style. But this is precisely what makes the Frenchman's work so exciting: the mixture of idealism, realism and references to the Italian Renaissance is unique.
Jean-Jacques Henner was a painter and above all Alsatian. Born as a farmer's son in southern Alsace, he was very attached to his native soil. So much so that after the annexation of Alsace by Germany he took French citizenship, but returned at least once a year to the region of his childhood and youth. That is why Alsace is very present in his work, whether he was painting a landscape or its inhabitants. He began his career as an artist mainly with portraits and genre scenes from his immediate surroundings. His talent was quickly discovered by Charles Goutzwiller, who became his drawing teacher. Thanks to a scholarship, Jean-Jacques was able to continue his studies at the "École des Beaux-Arts" in Paris. During his stay in the French capital, he regularly visited museums. He was particularly taken with the Italian Renaissance painters, from Titian to Raphael to Corregio. But he also admired Holbein and the French of the time: Ingres, Prud'hon and Corot. These influences were to shape and develop him and his work.
However, good art wants to take time: So he initially made two unsuccessful attempts, before he then succeeded in 1858 but the win of the "Grand Prix de Rome". This circumstance led him for five years in the Italian metropolis, where in the Villa Medici met many other artists. Among them were, for example, the sculptor Falguière and the composer Bizet. Together with them, he made many trips to the surrounding area, soaking up the beautiful scenery and picturesque scenes of daily life.
Back from Rome, Henner first turned to naturalism. Influenced by Manet and Degas, he created, among others, the work "La Toilette". However, it is no longer preserved. The artist destroyed it after receiving negative reviews. Perhaps they were also the reason why he henceforth devoted himself more to portrait painting. And this very successfully. Henner was elected a member of the "Institut de France" and his paintings were purchased by the French state for the Musée du Luxembourg. Private art collectors also began to take an interest in him, including Alfred Chauchard. It also happened that in 1876 he received a commission from Louis Pasteur, the famous chemist: Henner was to paint a portrait of his daughter Marie-Luise. The father often accompanied her to the portrait sessions and spent many a chat hour with the artist. The two became close friends. Although Jean-Jacques Henner enjoyed a successful career as an artist, his works did not conform to the academic ideal of the time. In general, it is hardly possible to classify Henner's work and assign it to an artistic style. But this is precisely what makes the Frenchman's work so exciting: the mixture of idealism, realism and references to the Italian Renaissance is unique.
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