Albert Maignan

Key facts

Lived

1845–1908, French^[2]

Movement

• history painting

^[2]

Works held in

6 museums^[1]

Wikipedia

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• La Fortune passe

  Museum of Fine Arts of Reims

  Reims, France

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap

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• What is Albert Maignan known for?+

  Albert Maignan is known for being one of the most carefully reasoned painters of his generation, building his reputation over two decades. He is also known for his 1892^[2] Salon submission, a large canvas titled "Carpeaux", which won the Salon's medal of honour and was purchased by the State for the Musée du Luxembourg.
• What is Albert Maignan's most famous work?+

  Albert Maignan (1845^[2]-1908^[2]) was a French^[2] history painter. He is best known for large-scale historical and allegorical compositions. One of Maignan's most recognised pieces is "The Departure of the Vikings" (1888^[2]). This painting depicts a Viking longship setting sail. It is a dramatic representation of Norse seafarers. The artwork is in the town hall at Saint-Cloud. Another important painting by Maignan is "Saint Louis Cares for the Plague Victims" (1897). It portrays Louis IX, the 13th-century king of France, tending to those afflicted by plague during the Eighth Crusade. This work is located in the Panthéon in Paris. It demonstrates Maignan's ability to handle complex historical narratives. Maignan also produced paintings for the ceiling of the Paris Opéra Comique. These paintings, finished in 1898, feature allegorical figures representing music and poetry. They are less frequently discussed than his large canvases, but they are still significant examples of his academic style.
• What should I know about Albert Maignan's prints?+

  When assessing a print, bear in mind that photographic prints are multiples by nature. It is important to know the terminology; a 'vintage print' is made around the time the negative was taken. A 'period print' is one made within roughly 10 to 15 years after. Anything beyond that is an 'old print'. A 'modern print' is recent, made from the original negative. An 'original print' is made by the artist or under their supervision. A 'facsimile' is a copy that attempts to duplicate a vintage print. Original prints may be woodcuts, engravings, linocuts, mezzotints, etchings, lithographs or serigraphs. These are produced by hand by the artist. Each print is considered an original because the artist creates the artwork directly. Offset reproductions, also known as posters and image prints, are reproduced by photochemical means. Giclée prints are fine art prints, images scanned into a computer and output on oversized printers. Canvas transfers involve transferring the image onto canvas, giving the work the appearance of a painting. The edition claim is written as a pair of numbers on the left bottom margin of the print itself. The title of the print is written in the middle of the bottom margin of the print. The signature is on the right of the bottom margin.
• What style or movement did Albert Maignan belong to?+

  Albert Maignan (1845^[2]-1908^[2]) was a French^[2] history painter and portraitist. He is usually associated with the academic art of the late nineteenth century. This style valued historical accuracy, idealised forms, and technical skill. Maignan studied with Joseph Blanc and Jules Noël. He won the Prix du Salon in 1867^[2]. Maignan's paintings often depicted scenes from French history and mythology. Examples include "The Departure of the Norman Fleet for the Conquest of England" (1874) and "Saint Louis Visiting the Plague Victims" (1881). These works demonstrate his ability to create large-scale, detailed compositions. Academic art was dominant in France during Maignan's career. The Académie des Beaux-Arts controlled artistic training and exhibitions. Artists like Maignan achieved success by following its guidelines. However, academic art later faced challenges from modern movements like Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. These movements rejected academic conventions. They favoured subjective expression and experimentation. Maignan's style remained rooted in academic traditions despite these changes. He continued to produce paintings that reflected its values.
• What techniques or materials did Albert Maignan use?+

  Information about Albert Maignan's specific techniques is scarce. However, some context about artists' materials and techniques of the period may be helpful. During the 19th century, a growing number of commercial artists' suppliers appeared. Before this, materials were often the domain of grocers and apothecaries. The rise of specialist colour merchants meant artists could purchase ready-made materials; however, some worried that the pursuit of profit might take precedence over the durability of the materials. Some artists of the time tried to recapture the techniques of earlier masters. Some believed the secrets of the Renaissance had been lost. Painters such as Louis Anquetin and Émile Bernard abandoned their own work to try to rediscover these methods. While study of earlier methods could be helpful, the materials available to modern painters differed from those used in the past.
• What was Albert Maignan known for?+

  Albert Maignan (1845^[2]-1908^[2]) trained with Noel and Luminais. He debuted at the 1867^[2] Salon with two paintings in the style of the Barbizon School. Although these were well received, he abandoned that approach in 1868. Maignan then embarked on a successful career as a history painter. He received prizes throughout the 1870s and 1880s. In 1892, he was awarded the Salon's medal of honour for *Carpeaux*, which was purchased by the State for the Musée du Luxembourg. This painting marked the beginning of his interest in finding a balance in history painting^[2]. He sought to reconcile the specificity of contemporary subject matter with the generalisation of the Ideal. This problem occupied him until his death. Maignan, along with Besnard, Aman-Jean and Martin, belonged to the generation of Salon artists of the 1890s who sought to express the Eternal through a combination of topicality, naturalistic detail and philosophical message.
• When did Albert Maignan live and work?+

  Albert Maignan (1845^[2]-1908^[2]) was a French^[2] history painter and illustrator. He was born in Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, and he died in Saint-Prix. Maignan studied with Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury, and later at the École des Beaux-Arts, in the studio of Léon Cogniet. He first exhibited at the Salon in 1867^[2]. Maignan won a medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. His paintings often depicted scenes from medieval and ancient history, as well as allegorical and mythological subjects. Among his best-known works are large-scale decorative paintings, such as the panels in the foyer of the Opéra-Comique in Paris. These depict the history of comic opera. Another major commission was a series of paintings for the Hôtel de Ville, also in Paris. He also produced numerous portraits and genre scenes throughout his career. Maignan taught at the Académie Julian. Among his pupils were artists such as Paul Chabas, Albert Besnard, and Émile Friant. His work can be found in museums and public collections throughout France, including the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rouen.
• Where can I see Albert Maignan's work?+

  Paintings by Albert Maignan can be viewed in several museums and galleries. In France, these include the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée du Louvre, Musée Gustave Moreau, Musée National d’Art Moderne (Centre Georges Pompidou), Musée d’Orsay, and Musée du Petit Palais; all are located in Paris. Outside of Paris, Maignan's work can be seen at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, and the Musée des Augustins in Toulouse. Other museums that hold his works are the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nancy, and the Musée de l’Ecole de Nancy. Outside of France, museums with Maignan's paintings include the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique in Brussels, and the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp.
• Where was Albert Maignan from?+

  Albert Maignan was born in Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, France, in 1845^[2]. He is known as a history painter and portraitist, and he also produced many posters and illustrations. Maignan studied with Jules Noël, then at the École des Beaux-Arts in the studios of Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury and later Jean-Léon Gérôme. Gérôme's influence is clear in Maignan's academic style and interest in historical and Orientalist subjects. Maignan won the Prix du Salon in 1867^[2]. He travelled to Italy in 1868. He received a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1889, and another at the Exposition Universelle of 1900. He was made a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1903. His paintings include "Saint Louis rendant la justice" (1875), for the Palais de Justice; "L'Attentat d'Anagni" (1877), now at the Musée d'Orsay; and the decoration of the ceiling of the Salle des Illustres in the Capitole de Toulouse (1894). Maignan died in Saint-Prix, Val-d'Oise, in 1908^[2].
• Who did Albert Maignan influence?+

  It is difficult to identify specific artists who were directly influenced by Albert Maignan. Some art historians have examined the broader question of artistic influence during Maignan's period. They note that artists of the time were grappling with how to develop individual styles, while also acknowledging the impact of earlier masters. One approach was to blend multiple influences, creating originality through a unique combination of sources. For example, Paul Cézanne directly quoted from Gustave Courbet's compositions. Other artists working in different styles and media also made connections to Courbet. The hunt for iconographic sources can sometimes yield surprising results. The lineage of Jeff Wall's photograph *The Drain* (1989) has been traced back to Courbet, via Cézanne. Wall makes it clear that he is making art from art, and that his practice has been informed by a variety of pictorial sources.
• Who influenced Albert Maignan?+

  Albert Maignan initially followed the Barbizon School style, displaying two paintings in that manner at the 1867^[2] Salon. However, he abandoned this approach in 1868. He then embarked on a successful career as a history painter. Maignan, along with artists like Besnard, Aman-Jean, and Martin, aimed to combine topicality, naturalistic detail, and philosophical messages in their work. This was especially relevant given the decline in history painting^[2] around 1891. A painting of the sculptor Carpeaux was well received at the Salon des Champs-Élysées of 1892. In terms of specific influences, his painting *The Passage of Fortune* shows similarities to Camille Pissarro’s drawing *The Temple of the Golden Calf* (1889-90), though there is no evidence Maignan intended a socialist critique like Pissarro.
• Who was Albert Maignan?+

  Albert Maignan (1845^[2]-1908^[2]) was a French^[2] history painter. He studied under Noel and Luminais. Maignan debuted at the 1867^[2] Salon with two paintings in the Barbizon School style. Although the critics received them well, he abandoned that style in 1868. He then began a successful career as a history painter. Maignan received awards throughout the 1870s and 1880s. In 1892, he won the Salon’s medal of honour for his painting Carpeaux; the State purchased it for the Musée du Luxembourg. This painting began his effort to balance the specificity of contemporary subject matter with the generalisation of the Ideal in history painting^[2]; this problem occupied him until his death. Faced with the decline in history painting in 1891, Maignan, along with Besnard, Aman-Jean, and Martin, sought to express the Eternal through topicality, naturalistic detail, and philosophical messages. His painting of the sculptor Carpeaux at the Salon des Champs-Élysées in 1892 was greeted with praise. Maignan's The Passage of Fortune exists in several versions; one was displayed at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1895 and at the Exposition Universelle in 1900.