Cabanel, Alexandre (1823-1889)

Cabanel, Alexandre

PAINTER (FRANCE)

BORN 23 Sep 1823, Montpellier, Hérault - DIED 23 Jan 1889, Paris: 14 rue alfred de Vigny, 8e
GRAVE LOCATION Montpellier, Hérault: Cimetière St.-Lazare, 2 Rond-point su Souvenir (behind the chapel)

Alexandre Cabanel was the son of a carpenter. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier under Charles Matet (1791-1870), the curator of the Musée Fabre. After obtaining a scholarship he went to Paris in 1839. In 1840 he became a pupil of F.E. Picot at the École des beaux-arts de Paris. In 1844 he exhibited at the Salon in Paris for the first time. After failing twice, he won a second Prix de Rome in 1845 and he resided at the Villa Medici in Rome until 1850. In 1847 he created his painting "L'Ange Dechu" ("Fallen Angel").

After his return to France in he painted portraits of wealthy persons in Montpellier and he returned to Paris in 1851. He worked as a history painter and as a genre painter before he turned to more romantic themes. His "Albaydé" was created in 1849. In 1855 he received the Légion d'honneur. His "La Naissance de Vénus" was exhibited at the Salon in 1863 and it was immediately bought for his personal collection by emperor Napoleon III who was known to like paintings of nude women. In the same year he became a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts.

In 1864 he was appointed professor at the École des beaux-arts de Paris. In 1865 he received the Salon's medal of honour for his portrait of Napoleon III. This portrait was rediscovered in storage at the Château de Compiègne in 2009. During the World Fair of 1867, he was decorated by Ludwig II of Bavaria. He was a member of the jury of the Salon between 1868 and 1888. He was often criticized because of his opposition to innovative trends in art, but in 1881 he defended "Pertuiset, Le chasseur de lions" by Édouard Manet. In 1884 he became a Commandeur of the Légion d'honneur.

Cabanel died in 1889 in Paris and was buried in his native Montpellier. His grave monument was designed by Jean Camille Formigé with a bust by Paul Dubois and a sculpture by Antonin Mercié. The Fabré Museum in Montpellier holds a significant collection of his works, including "Albaydé". "La Naissance de Vénus" is at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Related persons
• was teacher of Badin, Jules
• was teacher of Benjamin-Constant, Jean-Joseph
• was teacher of Carrière, Eugène
• was teacher of Cot, Pierre-Auguste
• was sculpted by Dubois, Paul
• was teacher of Dubufe, Guillaume
• painted Napoleon III Bonaparte

Events

0/0/1863	Napoleon III buys Cabanel's "The Birth of Venus". He bought it at the Salon in 1863. His preference for paintings of beautiful women was well known. [Napoleon III Bonaparte]
21/5/1876	Bouguereau visits king Willem III at Palace het Loo in Apeldoorn. His colleagues Gérôme and Cabanel were there as well. [Bouguereau, William][Gérôme, Jean Léon]

Images
Bust of Alexandre Cabanel by Paul Dubois. (1882) Picture by Androom (09 Nov 2024)	The grave of Alexandre Cabanel at the Cimetière St.-Lazare in Montpellier, Hérault. Picture by Androom (10 Nov 2024)	The grave of Alexandre Cabanel at the Cimetière St.-Lazare in Montpellier, Hérault. Picture by Androom (10 Nov 2024)