Painting By Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889) “phedre”

Exceptional painting by the famous 19th century academic painter Alexandre CABANEL, variant of the no less famous painting presented at the Salon des Beaux Arts in 1880 by the artist and entitled PHEDRE, SIGNED lower left, on original canvas and with a sumptuous frame in wood and gilded stucco in Louis XV Baroque style with large molding and decoration. born in Montpellier in 1823, he was educated by François Édouard PICOT at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris since 1840, where he has been based since 1839. Winner of the second Prix de Rome in 1845, he was a resident of the Villa Medici until 1850, knight of the Legion of Honor in 1855. at the salon of 1863, Emperor Napoleon III bought "The Birth of Venus" directly from him and he became famous (Luxembourg Museum since 1881 and entered the Orsay Museum since), he was elected a member of the Academy of Fine Arts the same year , in 1864 became a professor at the same institution. Member of the salon jury from 1866 to 1888. Medal of honor from the salon in 1865 for the portrait of the emperor as well as in 1867 and 1878:. His works are highly sought after by major European and American collectors who order portraits from him. He was put in opposition many times with the impressionists and especially Édouard MANET and his lunch on the grass of the salon of 1863 refused. Commander of the Legion of Honor in 1884, he was elected associate of the Royal Academy of Belgium on January 6, 1887. He had many students who became very famous and figures in the greatest museums in the world. Our painting is a smaller variant of the work offered by the artist to his hometown and kept at the Fabre museum in Montpellier (2.25 mx3.14m) and which was produced for the salon of 1880, probably executed some time after this one. , we see all the technique of the master and his rendering of flesh and contrasts of light of great quality. It is therefore a mythological painting of orientalist style which represents PHEDRE moping in his bed in the presence of two servants. the latter here embodies feminine beauty but also reason in the face of the passion and desire that Hippolyte inspires in her.