Ary Scheffer

Key facts

Lived

1796–1858, Dutch^[4]

Movement

• Romanticism

^[4]

Works held in

51 museums^[1]

Wikipedia

View article

• Félicie de Fauveau

  Louvre

  Paris, France

  15 works

  Museum details
• Comte Drouet d'Erlon

  Museum of Fine Arts of Reims

  Reims, France

  2 works

  Museum detailsMap
• Portrait de la Comtesse de Gobineau

  Musée départemental de l'Oise

  Beauvais, France

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap
• Marie-Madeleine au pied de la croix

  Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille

  Palais Longchamp, France

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap

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• What is Ary Scheffer known for?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9] is known for paintings that drew on literary sources, such as scenes from Dante, Goethe, and Byron. His paintings Francesca da Rimini and Christus Consolator were widely reproduced, and he also produced around 500 portraits of cultural figures like Chopin, Liszt, and Charles Dickens.
• What is Ary Scheffer's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to identify one single work as Ary Scheffer^[9]'s most famous, but several paintings are often cited. Scheffer enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime, particularly for his sentimental and religious subjects. He produced many portraits of notable figures, including Queen Marie Amélie; these added to his public profile. Two paintings that recur in discussions of his work are *The Mignons Regret* (1836^[4]), inspired by Goethe's *Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship*, and *Christus Consolator* (1837). These paintings typify Scheffer's style, which combined Romantic themes with a polished, academic technique. They also reflect the religious and literary tastes of the period. Other significant works include his depictions of Francesca da Rimini and his many versions of Christ and Saint Augustine. The popularity of Scheffer's paintings fluctuated after his death, but his work remains an interesting example of 19th-century academic art.
• What should I know about Ary Scheffer's prints?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9]'s paintings were often reproduced as prints, a common practice in the Victorian era that increased artists' visibility and broadened their audience. The printsellers of the period offer some information about the types of prints produced. Artist Proofs, for example, did not include an engraved title. Instead, they had an Association stamp on the lower left margin, with the publication line written minutely above or below the work. These were sometimes signed in pencil by both the artist and engraver. Lettered Proofs had the title of the work lightly engraved, in a manner that allowed it to be erased when the title was finalised. Presentation Proofs, of which a maximum of twenty-five could be printed, were given to the painter and engraver. Proofs before letters lacked an engraved title, but included the names of the artist and engraver printed near the bottom, along with the Association stamp on the lower right margin. Remarque Artist Proofs usually featured a device in the margin.
• What style or movement did Ary Scheffer belong to?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9] is usually associated with the Romantic movement, which dominated European art from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century. Romanticism^[4] moved away from Neoclassicism's emphasis on reason, order, and classical antiquity. Instead, it stressed emotion, imagination, individualism, and the beauty of nature. Romantic artists explored a wide range of subjects, including historical events, literature, mythology, and exotic locales. They often focused on intense emotional experiences, such as love, loss, and spiritual ecstasy. The style is characterised by dynamic compositions, dramatic lighting, and expressive brushwork. Some Romantics, like William Blake, looked to the medieval period for inspiration. Scheffer's paintings often depict scenes from literature and history, rendered with a strong sense of drama and emotion. His work aligns with the Romantic interest in evoking feeling and the subjective experience.
• What techniques or materials did Ary Scheffer use?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9]'s training involved a structured sequence. Students typically began around ages 15 to 18, with training lasting at least five years. The day started early, sometimes as early as 7am for drawing classes in ateliers, with the newest student arriving even earlier to prepare the studio. Afternoons were often spent at the Louvre, copying Old Masters to learn techniques and emulate compositional ideas. Students also copied engravings and lithographs. Advanced students could attend drawing classes at the École des Beaux-Arts, working from casts or live models. In summer, outdoor work was encouraged to develop observational skills. Instruction began with drawing from sculptures, usually white plaster casts of antique works, to learn form and monochrome gradations. Only after proficiency in drawing was achieved were students permitted to use colour. Masters introduced painting materials, after which students copied painted heads; Venetian or Flemish artists were often chosen for their handling and colour. Students then worked from live heads before attempting the nude model. The first stage in painting involved thinly painted lines and half-tones, called the ebauche, which had to be 'leaner' (less oily) than the final reworking to prevent cracking.
• What was Ary Scheffer known for?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9], a Dutch^[4]-French Romantic artist, is remembered for his emotionally charged paintings, often on literary or religious themes. Born in Dordrecht in 1795, he trained in Amsterdam and later moved to Paris, where he spent most of his career. Scheffer's work aligns with the Romantic movement's emphasis on feeling and imagination, rather than reason. His paintings frequently depict scenes of suffering, piety, or dramatic encounters, intended to evoke strong responses in the viewer. He drew inspiration from literature, including works by Dante, Goethe, and Byron. Some of his well-known paintings include *The Mignons Regret* and *Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Appearing to Dante and Virgil*. Although Scheffer enjoyed considerable success and recognition during his lifetime, his reputation declined after his death in 1858^[4]. Later critics often dismissed his work as sentimental. Nevertheless, his paintings remain important examples of French Romanticism^[4].
• When did Ary Scheffer live and work?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9] was a French painter, born in Dordrecht, Netherlands, in 1795. He died in 1858^[4]. Scheffer's early training was with Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, a painter of the late neoclassical style. Although romanticism became fashionable as Scheffer matured, he instead developed a sensual classical naturalism. This style featured a smooth surface and heightened realism, and it anticipated the academic manner of artists such as Adolph-William Bouguereau. Scheffer created paintings from literary works, such as his 1836^[4] portrait of Mignon (Dordrecht Museum), a character from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His 1855 Francesca of Rimini (Louvre Museum, Paris) is based on Dante’s Inferno. He also painted religious subjects, such as The Temptation of Christ (Louvre Museum, Paris). After the establishment of the Second Republic in 1848, Scheffer's non-portrait works declined in favour, and he stopped exhibiting, but he maintained a steady income through portraiture.
• Where can I see Ary Scheffer's work?+

  It is difficult to say with certainty where specific works by Ary Scheffer^[9] are located. However, museum directories may provide some guidance. For example, the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, located in Brussels, has works by J-L David and Vuillard. The Musée Condé, in Chantilly, France, holds works by Limbourg and De Troy. The Musée d’Orsay, in Paris, includes paintings by Bazille, Boudin, Cassatt, Van Gogh, Manet, Millet, Morisot, Orpen, Pissarro, Renoir, Signac, and Sisley. The Museo Nacional del Prado, in Madrid, has paintings by Baldung, Bassano, Domenichino, Dürer, Gaddi, Giordano, Murillo, Ribera, Velazquez, Veronese, Vouet, and Van der Weyden. The National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, has works by Bellotto, Elsheimer, Massys, Raeburn, Ramsay, Titian, and Wilkie.
• Where was Ary Scheffer from?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9] was Dutch^[4]. Several Dutch painters from the 17th century travelled to Italy; Paulus Bor went to Rome before returning to Amersfoort, where he worked until his death. Gerard ter Borch studied in Zwolle and Haarlem, then travelled extensively in England, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain before settling in Deventer. Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder began his career in Flanders before moving to Holland. Similarly, Jan van Bylert from Utrecht travelled to Italy; his work reflected the influence of Caravaggio. Jan van de Capelle, known for marine paintings and winter scenes, lived his entire life in Amsterdam, working as a dyer as well as a painter. Willem Buytewech worked mostly in Rotterdam, but he spent time in Haarlem between 1612 and 1615.
• Who did Ary Scheffer influence?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9]'s artistic impact is noted in nineteenth-century sentimentalism. Artists such as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres also had an impact, with pupils and followers orienting to his examples. Hippolyte Flandrin, for example, followed Ingres in his Christian cycles. Ingres influenced younger artists of the Restauration period and the Second Empire under Napoleon III. Joseph-Désiré Court, Thomas Couture, Adolphe-William Bouguereau, and Paul Baudry are among those influenced. Ingres's scenes of harems and seraglios influenced the Orientalists, such as Horace Vernet, Alexandre Cabanel, and Paul Delaroche. Gustave Courbet also proved an inspiration for modern painters. Paul Cézanne and de Kooning both identified Courbet as a source of inspiration. Cézanne's Bridge at Maincy invokes Courbet's Shaded Stream. Courbet's influence can be observed visually, especially with artists working in an abstract mode.
• Who influenced Ary Scheffer?+

  Identifying specific influences on Ary Scheffer^[9] is difficult. Claims of artistic originality became more common in the 19th century. Some theorists argued that great artists were self-generated; they were "the sons of no one". However, other approaches suggest influence is unavoidable. An aspiring novelist in Honoré de Balzac's *Lost Illusions* is told that if he does not want to ape Walter Scott, he must develop an individual style. Some atelier masters who remained outside the Academy structure still promoted original talent. Charles Gleyre (whose pupils included Monet, Renoir, Sisley and Bazille) encouraged outdoor studies. Thomas Couture (whose pupil was Manet) promoted unconventional attitudes to light and shade. Couture encouraged his students to work rapidly and simply, and to retain the first vivid impression. Another influential figure was Eugène Delacroix, regarded as an independent artist. He founded no school of followers, but his example was important to many younger independent artists, particularly the Impressionists.
• Who was Ary Scheffer?+

  Ary Scheffer^[9] was a French painter born in Dordrecht to Dutch^[4] parents. After his father's death, his mother moved the family to Paris, where he studied with Pierre-Narcisse Guérin and later exhibited at the Salon from 1812^[4].