Charles Antoine Lemaire

Key facts

Lived

1816–1887, French

Movement

• Naturalism

1. 1835At 35, became editor of a Parisian gardening journal launched by publisher M. Cousin in Paris. He would go on to edit Jardin Fleuriste and L'Horticulteur Universel.
2. 1841At 41, began publishing Iconographie descriptive des Cactees in Paris, a major illustrated study of cacti that would continue until 1847.
3. 1845At 45, moved to Ghent, Belgium, to edit Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe for the prominent nurseryman Louis van Houtte.
4. 1854At 54, took over as editor of L'Illustration Horticole in Ghent, owned by Ambroise Verschaffelt, and remained in the role until 1870.

• What is Charles Antoine Lemaire known for?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire is known for his work on Cactaceae and for editing botanical journals. His publications featured colour plates produced by hired botanical illustrators.
• What is Charles Antoine Lemaire's most famous work?+

  Charles Antoine Coypel (1694-1752) was a French painter who enjoyed royal patronage, eventually becoming premier peintre du roi in 1747. He was also a playwright, illustrator, and genre painter. Coypel was the son of Antoine Coypel, who served as painter to Philippe II, duc d’Orléans. Charles-Antoine was accustomed to court life from a young age. He became a member of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture at 21, as a history painter. His style, for most of his career, resembled that of his uncle, Noël-Nicolas Coypel. This has been described as a translation of Rococo ornamentation into figural form. Around 1737, his work began to show more dramatic expression; an example is Fury of Achilles (1737, The Hermitage, Saint Petersburg). Other works include Children’s Games (1728, private collection). He was a favourite painter of Queen Marie Leczinska, and painted several portraits of her.
• What should I know about Charles Antoine Lemaire's prints?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire (1700-1777) was active as a painter and director of the Académie de France à Rome. After his death in Italy, his collection was shipped to Paris, where it was auctioned in 1778. The auction included paintings and drawings by Lemaire himself, as well as works by Pierre Subleyras and Jean-Paul Panini. Gabriel de Saint-Aubin attended the sale, making sketches in his catalogue. The sale also contained a selection of ancient and modern gems, plus red wax sulphur pastes cast from gems. Gems were typically small, less than an inch in diameter, and featured recessed, embossed, engraved, or carved designs. Intaglios functioned as seals, while cameos were worn as jewellery. Collectors in the Renaissance acquired antique gems alongside classical sculpture and medals. By the 1700s, however, antiquities, particularly medals, had declined in popularity in France.
• What style or movement did Charles Antoine Lemaire belong to?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire (1800-1871) was a French botanical artist and writer. He is best known for his detailed illustrations of flowers and plants, particularly those in his own publications. Lemaire's work aligns with the tradition of botanical illustration, a genre that combines scientific accuracy with artistic skill. This style prioritises the precise depiction of plant morphology, colour, and texture. Botanical illustration saw a surge in popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries, driven by increased interest in natural history and exploration. Many artists created detailed records of newly discovered species. While not formally part of a specific art movement, Lemaire's approach shares some similarities with the broader trend of naturalism in 19th-century art. Naturalism sought to depict subjects realistically and objectively, often with a focus on scientific observation. Lemaire's meticulous attention to detail and his dedication to accurate representation place him within this wider artistic context. His illustrations were intended to be both aesthetically pleasing and scientifically informative.
• What techniques or materials did Charles Antoine Lemaire use?+

  Unfortunately, the provided passages do not offer specific details regarding Charles Antoine Lemaire's artistic techniques or materials. However, the texts do offer some broader context about painting techniques and materials during the 17th and 18th centuries in France. During this period, painters employed a range of materials, including oil paints, water-based media (such as glue, gum, or egg tempera), and fresco. Some artists explored more unusual methods like encaustic (using coloured waxes) and eludoric painting. The period also saw a fascination with rediscovering the techniques of earlier masters. Some artists attempted to recreate the methods used by Renaissance painters, believing that the secrets to their techniques had been lost. Publications like "books of secrets" contained recipes for making pigments, varnishes, and other materials. These books reveal an interest in both traditional and experimental approaches to painting.
• What was Charles Antoine Lemaire known for?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire is not mentioned in the provided texts. The passages discuss the links between Flemish painting, naturalism, and national identity in Belgian and French art and literature during the 19th century. They explore how writers and critics like Camille Lemonnier, the Goncourt brothers, and Joris-Karl Huysmans connected Flemish art with ideas of race, national identity, and artistic freedom. The passages mention the Belgian periodical *L’Artiste*, founded in 1875, and its role in the debate around naturalism. They also reference Hippolyte Taine's theories on how climate and soil condition a 'race's' physiology and psychology, influencing its art. The naturalists, favouring Flemish painting, sought a cultural justification for their bold treatment of subjects. Writers used images of Flemish art to explore realism and national identity, moving away from picturesque romanticism.
• Where can I see Charles Antoine Lemaire's work?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire (1800-1871) was a French botanical artist. He is known for his detailed illustrations of flowers and plants. His original watercolours are relatively scarce in public collections. Some examples of his work can be found in specialised botanical libraries and archives. These include institutions such as the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, which has a substantial collection of botanical art. The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, in Pittsburgh, also holds relevant works. Prints and reproductions of Lemaire's illustrations are more widely accessible. These prints were often produced as part of published books and journals during the 19th century. These publications, featuring his contributions, can be found in major libraries. Digital archives of botanical art may also provide access to scanned images of his work. Consulting auction records and specialist art dealers may provide information on the availability and location of individual pieces in private hands.
• Who did Charles Antoine Lemaire influence?+

  Frans Floris's workshop produced many pupils who spread his style throughout the Low Countries, France, and beyond. Joris van der Straeten and Floris's nephew Cornelis III both worked at Fontainebleau. Georges Boba (also called Georges le Vénitien) worked for Charles de Lorraine, drew Roman ruins, and produced several etchings. Hieronymus Francken's altarpiece of the Adoration of the Shepherds, in Notre-Dame, Paris (1585) shows Floris's influence. Lucas d’Heere produced paintings in Floris’s style, including Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and The Awakening of the Arts. Many of Floris's assistants came from the Northern Netherlands, including Aert van der Hoeven, Evert van Amersfort, Damiaan Ortelmans van der Goude, Thomas van Zierikzee, Steven van Cronenburgh, Dirk van der Laen, Joos de Beer, and Herman Janssens van der Mast; also Thomas de Wedyghe from Cologne. Anthonis Blocklandt and Isaac van Swanenburgh referenced Floris’s style in their work and instruction. Swanenburgh taught Otto van Veen, whose artistic practice carried Floris’s example into the seventeenth century; Van Veen also taught Peter Paul Rubens. Frans Francken remained guardian of Floris’s work after his death. The Pourbus family, Pieter and Frans the Elder, also guarded Floris’s art and reputation.
• Who influenced Charles Antoine Lemaire?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire was influenced by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. Chardin had to resign from his Academy posts in 1774 due to an eye disease. Soon after, his friend Cochin, an engraver who had secured many commissions for him, fell out of favour. The new classicism did not allow room for Chardin's style and choice of subject. However, he was rediscovered in the 19th century by the Goncourt brothers and the Impressionist painters. They saw Chardin as the last outstanding master of the ancien régime. Other influences on Lemaire may have included Lambert Lombard, an artist who perceived continuity between antiquity, the medieval period, and contemporary art. Lombard believed the imperial power of ancient Rome was 'translated' through rulers to the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor. He also felt the North retained an uninterrupted connection to the past, preserving ancient artistic forms lost below the Alps. Lombard studied writings by Pléiade poets such as Pierre de Ronsard and Jean du Bellay, as well as Jean Lemaire de Belges.
• Who was Charles Antoine Lemaire?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire (1800-1871) was a French botanist and botanical artist. He is remembered for his contributions to the study and documentation of cacti and other succulent plants. Lemaire trained at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. He later dedicated himself to botanical illustration and writing. He produced many articles for botanical journals, including *Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe*. This periodical, edited by Louis van Houtte, featured Lemaire's descriptions and illustrations of newly introduced plant species. Lemaire's detailed descriptions and accurate illustrations helped to popularise the cultivation of cacti and succulents in Europe. His publications contributed significantly to the scientific understanding of these plants. He is credited with naming several genera and species. Among these are *Echinocactus grusonii*, now commonly known as Gruson's Barrel Cactus, and the genus *Ariocarpus*. His work remains a valuable resource for botanists and horticulturalists interested in the study of succulent plants.
• Why are Charles Antoine Lemaire's works important today?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire is not as well known as some other artists; however, there was a 19th-century collector named Lamare-Picquot whose activities are of interest to historians. Lamare-Picquot was a collector of natural history specimens and ethnographic objects. His collection included mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, and shells. Scholars such as Jean-Victor Audouin and Achille Valenciennes praised his preservation methods. Charles Darwin mentioned Lamare-Picquot's writings on Eskimo dogs. Lamare-Picquot sought recognition for his collecting and hoped to open a market for non-European objects. He aimed to compete with other collectors and establish himself as a connoisseur of Asian antiquities. He promoted his collection by writing letters, requesting reports from scientific societies, and publishing brochures. He also displayed it at the Sorbonne gallery in 1833. Despite his efforts, the French state did not purchase his collection.
• What art movement was Charles Antoine Lemaire part of?+

  Charles Antoine Lemaire was associated with the Naturalism movement.