Augustin Théodule Ribot

Key facts

Lived

1823–1891, French

Movement

• Realism

1. 1860Painted "Still Life with Pumpkin, Plums, Cherries, Figs and Jug" aged 37.
2. 1865Painted "The Martyrdom of St Sebastian" aged 42.
3. 1870Painted "Alfred Cadart, Founder of the Societe des Aqua-Fortistes" aged 47.
4. 1872Painted "Conversation Piece: Three Heads" aged 49.
5. 1875Painted "The Cook's Recipe" aged 52.
6. 1879Painted "The Little Cooks" aged 56.

• What is Augustin Théodule Ribot's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to identify one single work as Augustin Théodule Ribot's 'most famous', as different sources offer varied selections from his body of work. He was a prolific painter of still lifes, portraits, and genre scenes, and several of his paintings have secured places in art history surveys. These include Woman Sewing (1880); Self-Portrait “Les Misérables” (1888); and Self-Portrait with The Yellow Christ (1890-1891). These paintings, along with others such as Still Life with Fruits (1888), reflect Ribot's diverse subject matter and the different styles he engaged with during his career. His portraits reveal an interest in the individual, while his genre scenes offer glimpses into everyday life. Ribot's still lifes demonstrate his skill in capturing the textures and colours of ordinary objects.
• What should I know about Augustin Théodule Ribot's prints?+

  While Augustin Théodule Ribot is primarily known as a painter, some artists who knew his work collected prints. Vincent van Gogh, for instance, owned prints by artists such as Herkomer, Menzel, Renouard, Frère and Heilbuth. Van Gogh also acquired issues of publications such as *Le Monde illustré* and *Univers Illustré*. These publications sometimes included lithographic prints, a process using a special crayon, autographic ink and engraving ink on treated paper. The printing method involves wetting the drawing before it is laid face down on grained stone, then running it through a press. If the ink runs during this process, the image may be lost. Some artists create plates from collages of lithographic proofs. These proofs can indicate the order in which colours were imposed to arrive at the final print.
• What style or movement did Augustin Théodule Ribot belong to?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot is associated with the Realist movement, which emerged in France during the mid-19th century. He, along with artists such as François Bonvin and Isidore Pils, is considered among the lesser-known figures of the *école réaliste*. Ribot's initial submissions to the Salon were rejected, and his work was first exhibited in Bonvin's studio in 1859. He gained recognition at the Salon of 1864, receiving a medal for paintings in the genre category. His subject matter often included kitchen scenes, cooks, and themes with religious aspects. His 1865 painting, *Saint-Sébastien, martyr*, was acquired by the state. This work, with its heightened realism and baroque drama, depicted Saint Sebastian's suffering in detail. The figures ministering to the saint were dressed in peasant clothing, which presented the martyrdom in an accessible style. Ribot's use of dusky lighting and greyed colour, reminiscent of Spanish masters, further contributed to his contemporary interpretation of a religious icon.
• What techniques or materials did Augustin Théodule Ribot use?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot is known for his distinctive approach to painting techniques and materials. He often employed a dark palette, creating dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, a style sometimes called "tenebrism". Ribot experimented with thick applications of paint, building up textured surfaces. He used a palette knife to apply paint, creating a rough, uneven surface. This impasto technique added a tactile quality to his works. Ribot's materials included oil paints, brushes, and canvas. Some sources suggest he also incorporated ashes, sand, and coal dust into his paint mixtures. This gave his paintings a distinctive, gritty texture and a sombre colour. He sometimes thinned his paints with turpentine. Ribot's approach to materials and techniques was innovative for his time. He challenged conventional methods, seeking new ways to express his artistic vision.
• What was Augustin Théodule Ribot known for?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot was a French realist painter. He is known for genre scenes; these often depicted the lives of working-class people. Ribot's career began in the late 1850s. His work was exhibited in François Bonvin's studio after being rejected by the Salon. He gained recognition in the 1860s, receiving a medal at the Salon of 1864. His paintings sometimes included religious themes, connecting everyday experience with spirituality. In 1865, the state purchased Ribot's *Saint-Sébastien, martyr*. This painting depicted the saint's death with realism and baroque drama. The figures ministering to Saint Sebastian were dressed in peasant clothing. Ribot received additional funds from the government, but state interest in realist painters diminished over time. Ribot marks a transition in the relationship between the state and artists; painters gained more flexibility and could set prices for their work. His paintings *L’Huitre et les plaideurs* and *Les Philosophes* were also acquired by the state.
• When did Augustin Théodule Ribot live and work?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot was born on 8 August 1823 in Saint-Nicolas-d'Attez, Normandy. He died on 12 September 1887 in Colombes, near Paris. Ribot's artistic career developed primarily in Paris. In 1851, his family relocated to the city. He briefly studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and also worked as an apprentice painter of signs and as a decorator. He achieved recognition in 1861 when his paintings were accepted into the Paris Salon. Ribot's work often depicted scenes of everyday life, with a particular emphasis on working-class subjects. His paintings frequently featured strong contrasts of light and shadow, a technique that has been compared to that of the Old Masters. Ribot's paintings were part of exhibitions at the Salon des Artistes Français, which began in 1881.
• Where can I see Augustin Théodule Ribot's work?+

  Paintings by Augustin Théodule Ribot are held in numerous public collections. Many are in France, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rouen, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lille, and the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée du Louvre, both in Paris. Other European museums that hold his work include the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique in Brussels, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. American museums with works by Ribot include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; the Museum of Modern Art in New York; the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia; and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University in Miami Beach.
• Who did Augustin Théodule Ribot influence?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot's influence is most clearly seen in his unconventional attitudes to light, shade, and immediacy. Thomas Couture, who was not a member of the Academy, passed on his love of the Old Masters to Édouard Manet (1832-1883). Couture encouraged his students to work rapidly and simply, to 'keep the first vivid impression'. He suppressed detail and half-tones in favour of direct spontaneity. His brushwork was lively, his colours often dragged in thick confident strokes, and his forms, reduced to broad masses, outlined in strong contours. Manet remained with his master from 1850 to 1856, absorbing these attitudes. Couture's influence can be seen in some of Manet's work. This work is broadly handled with strong contrasts between light and dark and few halftones. As in Manet’s *Luncheon on the Grass* and *Olympia*, the shadows form contours around the figures.
• Who influenced Augustin Théodule Ribot?+

  Without specific biographical information about Ribot's influences, it is difficult to provide a detailed answer. However, some general observations can be made, based on the period in which he worked and the artistic movements that were current. Ribot was active during a time when Realism and early Impressionism were developing in France. Realist artists aimed to depict everyday subjects and ordinary people in an unidealised manner. Impressionism, with its focus on light and colour, also marked a departure from academic traditions. The Goncourt brothers, Edmond and Jules, were influential figures in the French art scene during Ribot's career. They were known for their writings on art and society and their support of Realist artists. Figures such as Charles Baudelaire and Jules Castagnary were influential as art critics. Ribot may have been exposed to the writings and ideas of these individuals.
• Who was augustin théodule ribot?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot (1823-1891) was a French painter influenced by Spanish and Dutch Baroque art. Often called the French Ribera, he painted domestic genre scenes, still lifes, and religious works using dark chiaroscuro. Ribot co-founded the Salon du Champ de Mars with other artists.
• What art movement was Augustin Théodule Ribot part of?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot was associated with the Realism movement.
• When did Augustin Théodule Ribot die?+

  Augustin Théodule Ribot died in 1891 at the age of 68.