Francois-Xavier
Fabre

1766, Montpellier — 1837, Montpellier. French painter. Student J. M. Vienne and J. L. David (1783). Received in 1787 the Grand Prix, went to Rome as a pensioner of the French Academy of arts. Long lived in Italy (1787-1826), Florence (up to 1825), was court painter to the Duchess of Lucca and Piombino, then Grand Duchess Tuscan Elsa Boccacci (sister of Napoleon Bonaparte). Wrote mainly portraits and paintings of scenes from ancient history and mythology in the style of Neoclassicism: Virgil reading the "Aeneid" to the family of August (Chicago, art Institute).

In Montpellier, the home of the artist, is the art Museum that bears his name. He bequeathed his work and collection of paintings to this Museum.

François-Xavier Fabre (FR. François-Xavier-Pascal Fabre, Baron, 1 APR 1766, Montpellier — 16 March 1837) was a French historical painter.

A pupil first of Guillaume Bush, and then L. David, 1787, received from the Paris Academy of arts, called. Roman prize for the painting "the murder of the children of Zedekiah," was sent to Rome as a fellow of the Academy. Hence, due to the difficulties that arose between the French Convention and the papal government, in 1793, he moved to Naples, where he stayed about a year; after settling in Florence, he wrote historical paintings, but most of all landscapes.

The portrait was influenced by David. Created portraits of many representatives of the aristocracy of France, England and Italy. Included in Florence in the circle of antiquarians of Lord Bristol, was in love with the Countess Albani (1753-1824), wife of Duke W. E. Stewart, and then of the poet V. Alfieri.

One of his most famous works — portrait of the sculptor Antonio Canova (1812, Montpellier, musée Fabre). The artist captures the great sculptor on the background of the statue by Canova Venus Italica, when he arrived in Florence in occasion of the opening of the monument to Vittorio Alfieri, executed by order of Countess Albani. In the portrait with great skill transferred to noble dignity and spirituality of the Ka - new. Fabre himself is depicted in the painting by P. Benvenuti Eliza Bacciochi Bonaparte with artists of Florence (1813, Versailles, NAT. Museum), along with Canovas and other artists. He also owns portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte (1808, Rome, Napoleon Museum), Lucien Bonaparte (Montpellier, musée Fabre).

The Countess before his death (in 1824,) he bequeathed all his property; he erected a monument to his benefactor, donated to the city of Florence inherited from her the manuscripts of Alfieri, and in 1826 returned to his homeland, Montpellier, with a rich collection of art objects and library made in Italy. They were brought to them as a gift to this city and built a special Museum, the content and funding which the artist has provided significant capital. In addition, he founded at Montpellier art school, which, as the Museum did not cease to care for the rest of his life. For these services F. in 1830, was elevated to baronial dignity. Most of his works — historical paintings and portraits, is in the Museum, but they are also found in museums of Lyon, Nantes and Narbonne; at the Louvre Museum has his painting "Neoptolemus and Ulysses taking from Philoctetes the arrows of Ulysses." In all these works it is simply a draftsman, smart, but cold by the composer and generally a follower of the pseudoclassical style of David.