Frédéric Bazille - French Impressionist Painter and Soldier

From Medical student to Paris Artist to Zouave Soldier. . .a man who helps his fellow man, in a field as competitive as art, is indeed a man with a generous heart.

Frédéric Bazille
(1841-1870)




Frédéric Bazille, French Impressionist, PD

Frédéric Bazille was born in Montpellier, France, into a wealthy Protestant family.
His family agreed to let him study painting, but only if he also studied medicine. He consented and tried, but the interest wasn't there. After failing the medical exam in 1864, he began painting full-time.


Bazille took classes in Charles Gleyre's studio, a popular atelier. There he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, and Édouard Manet and was drawn into the Impressionist painting circle. Bazille was generous with his wealth, and helped support his less fortunate associates by giving them space in his studio and materials to use.

Portrait of Renoir, 1867, by F. Bazille*(PD)

Refer to the link below, for Bazille's Studio, to see a painting documenting the artist's friends.

Bazille's Studio; 9 Rue de la Condamine, 1870
In this painting Bazille painted the other artists who shared his studio space. Manet painted Bazille in the group, so both painter's names show.


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Bazille, 28 years old, joined a Zouave regiment in 1870, after the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War. He was hit twice in the failed attack and died on the battlefield. His father came to the battlefield to collect the body for burial. He died as he lived, with honor. Some of his legacy can be seen at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, France.

Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. They had a unique uniform which was by no means subtle. These exotic looking soldiers seemed the 'stuff of legends'.

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Have you heard of Frédéric Bazille, the painter? Or the Zouave regiments? 
Are you ready for a New Year?

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Bazille

Photo image of Bazille's Self-portrait:

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. Such reproductions are in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details.

The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason:
This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less

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Image of artwork: Portrait of Renoir by F. Bazille

This file is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of no more than the life of the author plus 100 years.

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Claude Monet, Impressionist Artist

Water Lilies perch on the reflective pond. A small boat floats under the willow tree, in front of an arched bridge hidden by the foliage. An artist of Impressionist vision painted here, in Giverny, France.

Monet's Water Garden, Giverny, Fr. by DG Hudson

Claude Monet
1840 - 1926

Claude Monet, Impressionist Artist, PD-WC*

A prolific painter of the French Impressionist movement, Oscar-Claude Monet was also one of its founders. He was joined by his fellow artists and friends Auguste Renoir, Frederic Bazille, Camille Pissarro and others. They were painters of the en plein air method (painting in the outdoors, completed in one sitting). This new painting style focused on the interplay between light and color, and how a light source defines an object and its color. His multiple studies document the changing versions of a haystack or a cathedral.


In 1870, Claude met and claimed Camille Doncieux as his muse. They moved to Argenteuil in December 1871. Camille modeled for her husband and other artists early in their relationship. She posed for the famous Camille, or 'The Woman in the Green Dress'. She appears often in Monet's paintings wearing a blue and white striped dress. She was also painted by the artists Renoir and Manet. The second son Michel, was born in 1878, a few years after his older brother Jean, in 1867.

On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt, Claude Monet 1868,PD-WC

In the photo above, the figure is likely Camille Monet. This is an early example of Impressionistic style.

Camille Monet became very ill in 1876, and never recovered her health. On September 5, 1879, she died of tuberculosis (or possibly cancer) at the age of 32. Monet painted his wife on her death bed as if he wanted to hold onto her spirit a bit longer. Did he regret the time he devoted to his art? Could he have done otherwise? She found the love of her life, and he loved her. Perhaps for Camille, that was enough. Claude died of lung cancer in 1926. He was 86 years old. He is buried in Giverny, France.


According to a tour guide at Monet's Garden, Michel, the only heir, died in an auto accident in 1966, and upon his death, the house, the garden and the water lily pond became the property of the French Academy of Fine Arts. Claude lived here with his second wife, but the gardens he nurtured for Camille. 


The Monet home in Giverny.



The Monet House, Monet Gardens, Giverny, by DG Hudson

A sense of serenity lives at Monet's Gardens. I'm glad the home, studio, and surrounding gardens were restored. This remains a tour attraction which draws many visitors each year.

Monet's Gardens, Giverny, Fr. by DG Hudson

Are you familiar with Claude Monet's paintings and other art work? Did you know of his muse and later his wife, Camille? Do you have a favorite painting by Monet? Do you prefer his people paintings or his landscapes?

Please share your thoughts in the comments and thanks for stopping by!

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Claude and Camille, the book. . . A novel about the artist and his first wife, by Stephanie Cowell. My book review on Rainforest Writing Blog: Claude and Camille. Updated to show review October 26, 2013.

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet Claude Monet, wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Doncieux Camille Monet, wiki

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The photo of Claude Monet and the painting used in this post are from Wikipedia Commons, and in the Public Domain.
Note: copy/paste problems with WC.

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Camille Pissarro - Artist and Father Figure

In 1855, a young artist who would influence Impressionism and Post-Impressionism moved to France from Venezuela. Pissarro, part French (his father) and Creole (his mother), was born in 1830 on the island of St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands.


Camille Pissarro
1830-1903

Camille Pissarro and wife, Julie, 1877, PD*WC,

Camille Pissarro was a father role model to many of his fellow Impressionist painters, especially the younger artists. He wanted to 'paint without artifice and grandeur', to show real people in everyday settings. A few of the artists he influenced were: Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gaugin, and Vincent van Gogh. Pierre-Auguste Renoir called him 'revolutionary' for portraying the common man.

The Paris Salon, the historical arbiter of tasteful art, disliked the new style movement and refused some of the Impressionist painters in 1863. Pissarro had previously shown his work in the Salon, but now formed part of the Salon des Refuses (exhibition of rejects).

Impressionists preferred painting outdoors and highlighting the beauty in nature. This style of painting studied the effects of varying light levels, different seasons, and time of day on various subjects. The paintings were often completed in one sitting, with subsequent variations following. Pissarro's painting, Landscape at Pontoise, is shown below.





Landscape at Pontoise, 1874, Camille Pissarro *PD-WC

In 1859, Pissarro met Claude Monet, Armand Guillaumin and Paul Cezanne. All of these younger artists were also painting in the new realistic style. The commonality between these artists was their dissatisfaction with the Paris Salon. An art movement was gathering speed.

In 1871, Pissarro married his mother's maid, a vineyard grower's daughter, who became mother to their seven children. They lived in Pontoise and Louveciennes, both of which furnished him with ideas for his paintings.


Pissarro and fifteen aspiring artists established a collective society of painters in 1873. Called the Société Anonyme des Artistes, Peintres, Sculpteurs et Graveurs, it existed because Pissarro kept the group together. His gentle guidance and his encouragement of his fellow artists drew new artists to the group.


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The Depths of Glory, by Irving Stone.

A fictional biography of Camille Pissarro, artist and father to the Impressionist movement. The Depths of Glory explores the artist's relationship with other great painters of the time. It's a great 'background' novel for learning about the art collective that Pissarro fostered. This title is one of three great books on artists by Irving Stone.


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Did you know about the artist, Camille Pissarro? Do you like paintings or prefer a certain style? Have you heard of the book, Depths of Glory?

Please share in the comments. Let me know if you've seen Pissarro paintings or other Impressionist work in art galleries in your area. Thanks for visiting!

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For more on the Artist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Pissarro - Camille Pissarro, wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_des_Refus%C3%A9s - Salon des Refuses

Image Credits
*PD = Public domain, WC= Wikipedia Commons

Photograph of Camille Pissarro and Wife

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years

Painting, oil on canvas

The work of art depicted in this image and the reproduction thereof are in the public domain worldwide. The reproduction is part of a collection of reproductions compiled by The Yorck Project. The compilation copyright is held by Zenodot Verlagsgesellschaft mbH and licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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Renoir - Impressionist Artist

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, an artist who documented the times in which he lived and painted. . .

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, PD/WC, Artist, c.1878

Renoir, a French artist 1841-1919, was one of the leading painters in the Impressionist style. He celebrated beauty, in particular feminine sensuality. Born in Limoges, France to a working class family, he was part of a golden moment in art.

In 1862, Renoir was living in Paris. He met Alfred Sisley, Frederic Bazille, and Claude Monet. A new art movement was beginning and these men were at the forefront. Renoir started exhibiting paintings at the Paris Salon in 1864, but recognition would remain elusive for another ten years. The early years were lean.

Renoir's paintings are known for their vibrant colour and subject matter. In the late 1860s, using the technique, en plein air (in the outdoors), Auguste and his friend Claude Monet experimented by painting the same scenes side by side, each showing his perception of the same subject. He is also known for his paintings of female nudes.

Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette (Bal du moulin de la Galette) 1876, is shown below. A popular dance garden, this place was on the Butte Montmartre near Renoir's residence.

Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette, 1876, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, PD/WC

In 1882, Auguste Renoir met and painted the portrait of Richard Wagner, the German composer, at Wagner's home. Later that year, he convalesced in Algeria for six weeks. He had contracted pneumonia, severe enough to permanently damage his respiratory system. But he kept painting.

Renoir married Aline Victorine Charigot, who, along with a few of Auguste's friends served as a model for Le Déjeuner des canotiers - Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881.  After his marriage, Renoir painted many scenes of his family life. His wife, sons and other household staff were immortalized in several paintings. 

In 1907, Renoir moved to the warmer climate of Cagnes-sur-Mer, close to the Mediterranean coast. He had rheumatoid arthritis and was wheelchair-bound, but he continued to paint during the last twenty years of his life.






Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre, by DG Hudson

The property in the photograph above is now privately owned, but the top of the windmill still indicates what once existed here. As we walked past this landmark, I tried to detect the strains of French music, or the sound of people dancing and laughing, just like the painting.

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Have you heard of Renoir or have you seen any of his work? Did you know he was a good friend of Monet's? Please share in the comments. If you're doing the A to Z, good luck with the last half!

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Auguste_Renoir the Artist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism About Impressionism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_du_moulin_de_la_Galette About the painting and location

PD=Public Domain
WC=Wikipedia Commons

Photo of Renoir:
This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

Photo of Painting: Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette
This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. This work is in the public domain in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 90 years or less.

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