Lefèvre, Robert |
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BORN 24 Sep 1755, Bayeux: 3 de la rue Franche - DIED 3 Oct 1830, Paris: 3, quai d'Orsay (now: 1, quai Anatole-France) BIRTH NAME Lefèvre, Robert Jacques François Faust CAUSE OF DEATH suicide by cutting of the throat GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Père Lachaise, Rue du Repos 16 (division 27, ligne 01, Chemin du Dragon) |
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Robert Levèfre was the son of the draper Jacques Lefèvre and his wife Suzanne Françoise Marguerite Decrot. His father wanted him to be a lawyer, but in 1773 he used his savings for a trip to Paris. He walked from Caen to Paris where he saw the works of the old masters. Back in Caen he turned to painting. In 1784 he returned to Paris to become a pupil of Jean-Baptiste Regnault. In his studio he befriended Charles Paul Landon and Carle Verlet. In 1791 he exhibited his "Dame en velours noir" at the Salon in Paris and this was the upstart to a successful career. In 1805 he made a painting of Empress Joséphine. He also painted Napoleon, the emperor's mother Madame Laetitia, July Clary, Vivant Denon (who was his patron) and Carle Vernet. His forty portaits of Napoleon were all a bit different from each other. He was also well known for his history paintings. In 1813 his son Jules Robert was killed at th Battle of Leipzig. After the Bourbon restoration in 1818 he painted Louis XVIII for the Chambre des Pairs and he received the Légion d'honneur in 1820. He also became Premier Peintre du Roi benoemd (First Painter to the King) but he lost this title after Louis-Philippe came to power. In desparation he cut his throat at his house in Paris and he died. Related persons • painted Beauharnais, Joséphine de • painted Bonaparte, Pauline • painted Charles X, King of France • painted Clary, Julie • painted Denon, Vivant • painted Marie Louise, Empress of France, Duchess of Parma • painted Napoleon I Bonaparte • was pupil of Regnault, Jean Baptiste, Baron |
| Images | |
 "The Empress Joséphine" by Robert Lefèbvre. (1806) |
 The grave of Robert Lefèvre at Père Lachaise, Paris. Picture by Androom (02 Nov 2018) |
Sources • Gabrielli, Domenico, Dictionnaire Historique du Père-Lachaise, XVIIIe-XIXe siècles, Éditions de l'Amateur, Les, Paris, 2002 • Robert Lefèvre — Wikipédia |
