Emil-Jean-Oras
Vernet

France • 1789−1863

Biography and information

French painter, son and pupil of Carl Vernet, painter of historical and battle scenes.

Horace Vernet was born in the year of the death of his grandfather, Claude Joseph Vernet, the founder of the dynasty, landscape painter, romantic storms, sunsets and moonlit nights. His father Carl Vernet, famous for the caricatures of fashionistas, images of horses, became an official painter, historian of the Napoleonic army, was a teacher of Emile Jean Horace. Verne had continued success of the ruling circles and the bourgeois audience through the combination in his paintings formal ostentation, a superficial romantic effects (melodramatic pathos, Oriental exoticism) and naturalism.

In 1836 and 1842-43 worked in Russia

Son and pupil of the painter Carl Vernet and grandson of the painter Claude Joseph Vernet. Had a distinguished career as an artist and diplomat, entering the political elite of the country as under Napoleon I Bonaparte, and during the Restoration. Had continued success of the ruling circles and the bourgeois audience through the combination in his paintings formal ostentation, a superficial romantic effects (melodramatic pathos, Oriental exoticism) and naturalism. He was Director of the French Academy in Rome (1829-1835.). Traveled with the French army in Algeria in 1833.

In 1836, 1842-1843 and years came with diplomatic missions in Russia. Here it, especially at court, literally worn on the hands. Nicholas I granted him the order of Alexander Nevsky with diamonds and the Russian hereditary nobility. He was commissioned to paint portraits of the Royal family, an honor which is awarded only to the most famous artists of his time, and was honored to accompany Nicholas I during his trip to Russia during Voznesensky maneuvers. Horace Vernet was commissioned four paintings on the theme of the Russo-Turkish war of 1828-1829., and for each such picture had been paid fifty thousand roubles, was made at the then exchange rate and seven and thirty thousand of silver. For his huge canvas "the Capture of Warsaw" Vernet received from the court two hundred thousand francs, i.e. about sixty thousand! During your stay in Russia Verne rotated at court and officially attended various receptions and celebrations. Needless to say, that the highest Petersburg society greeted him with enthusiasm. Thus, to make the Verna in Russia was for him a continuous triumph. Surprised the prices that were paid to Horace Vernet for his picture of the Russian court is not necessary, as the works of this celebrated artist and in the European market was regarded extremely highly.

The greatest Russian critic of the 19 century Vladimir Stasov describes the work of Horace Vernet: "...Horace Vernet was sitting in an actual saddle only then, when the fast flashing, hasty brush charted zouaves, Bedouin, bloody and merciless battle them when sang the epic of the French army in Africa and Europe and portrayed the minutest events of domestic or foreign history. He always had been deprived poetry of life; he was always superficial to the extreme and frivolous to the point of impossibility; and yet, whatever it was, it is impossible to take away one significant merit: he was one of the first in time and energy, one of the first realists of our epoch..."

The almost complete lack of emotion on the faces of people and at 100% realism and attention to detail is not so difficult to trace in the works of Horace Vernet. The greatest observation, characteristic of the artist, and the cold analytical mind, a respect for facts.

Widely known as the author of the pathetic battle paintings, including the enormous compositions created in the 1830 and 1850-ies by the order of Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III and stored at Versailles. Loved to write fierce battle and stormy landscapes, often combining them in one image. His North African motifs had a great impact on the development of Orientalism. Master of monumental and decorative painting.