Artist. A controversial but influential 19th century French history painter, he was born in Senlis, Olse, France and moved to Paris with his family 1826 where he studied at the École des Arts et Métiers and later at the École des Beaux-Arts. He began exhibiting his paintings at the Paris Salon in 1840, winning seven medals for his works, including his masterpiece “Romans During the Decadence’ (1847). He then opened his own art studio, teaching such notable painters as Édouard Manet, Henri Fantin-Latour, John La Farge, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Karel Javůrek, and J-N Sylvestre. In 1867 he published a book entitled “Méthode et entretiens d’atelier” that described his own artistic ideas and working methods. His other notable works include “Anselm Feuerbach” (1852, portrait), “The Duel After the Masked Ball” (1857), “Pierrot the Politician” (1857), “Daydreams” (1859), and “The Thorny Path” (1873). He died in Villiers-le-Bel, Val-d’Oise, France at the age of 63. (bio by: William Bjornstad)