Constant Troyon

Key facts

Lived

1810–1865, French

Movement

• Realism

Works held in

65 museums^[1]

• Flock of sheep in the woods

  The Mesdag Collection

  The Hague, Netherlands

  7 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• Oxen at work

  Paisley Museum

  Paisley, United Kingdom

  2 works

  Museum detailsMap

Plan your visit to see Constant Troyon →

• What is Constant Troyon known for?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] is known as the leading animal painter in France during his time. He was decorated with the Legion of Honour, was a five-time medallist at the Paris Salon, and was collected by Napoleon III.
• What is Constant Troyon's most famous work?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] is best known for his paintings of animals, particularly cattle. After a trip to Holland in 1847, Troyon's focus shifted to animal painting. He was influenced by Dutch animal painters. Many of his works feature cows in various settings. Examples include *Cows at the Watering Place* (1852), *A White Cow* (1859), *Cows at Pasture*, and *A Bull*. These paintings are held in the collection of the Musée du Louvre, Paris. Other notable works include *Two Cows* (circa 1850/1851) and *Woman Grazing her Cow* (1858). Troyon's paintings often depict cows in meadows or at watering places, capturing rural scenes. He also produced *A Study of an Ox* (circa 1858).
• What should I know about Constant Troyon's prints?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] (1810-1865) was a French painter associated with the Barbizon School, a group of artists who painted outdoors, often in the area around the village of Barbizon. The group sought to portray actual scenes of the French countryside, rather than idealised or imagined ones. Troyon is best known for his paintings of animals, particularly cattle, often set within rural scenes. Although he is primarily known as a painter, he also produced prints, including a series of cartoon lithographs. These works offer a commentary on his inability to sell his paintings to the newly wealthy middle classes. Troyon's prints, like his paintings, reflect an interest in capturing the realities of rural life. His work can be seen as part of a broader movement towards naturalism in art, which sought to depict the world as it is, without idealisation or sentimentality.
• What style or movement did Constant Troyon belong to?+

  Constant Troyon^[8], a French painter born in 1810, is associated with the Realism movement, which gained momentum around the middle of the 19th century. Realism emerged partly as a reaction against both Romanticism and Academic art. During the 19th century, the art academies of Europe held significant influence. The Parisian Académie des Beaux-Arts, for example, insisted that artists should aim for a fusion of Neoclassicism and Romanticism; however, Realism rejected emotionalism and instead emphasised "truth to nature". Realist painters chose ordinary people and activities as subjects, moving away from the contrived styles of Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Many French artists, from about 1800 to 1899, painted modern life objectively, without embellishment or personal bias. They reacted against society’s artificiality, materialism, academic rules and artistic traditions. Some artists painted directly from nature in the Forest of Fontainebleau, near Barbizon, following traditions of 17th-century Dutch and early 19th-century English painting. Troyon and others sought to represent the world as they saw it, without idealisation.
• What techniques or materials did Constant Troyon use?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] was a 19th-century French painter associated with the Barbizon school, known for his animal paintings and rural scenes. While specific details on his techniques are scarce in the provided texts, we can infer some aspects of his artistic approach by considering the practices of his contemporaries and influences. The "trois crayons technique", involving red, black, and white chalks to render form, was used for drawings in French academic circles. Although this is most closely associated with Antoine Watteau, it demonstrates the period's interest in colour and tone in drawing. François de Troy, an earlier artist, employed saturated colours such as blues, golds, and reds, along with bold chiaroscuro and painterly brushwork. Troy also combined realism with a sensuality of paint, enhancing the sitter's appearance in his portraits.
• What was Constant Troyon known for?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] (1810-1865) was a French painter associated with the Realist movement. Realism emerged in France during the mid-19th century, partly as a reaction to Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Realist artists sought to depict the world around them, without idealising the past or romanticising current events. They felt that classical and romantic subjects were irrelevant to the modern world, and that everyday life offered just as much inspiration. They moved away from established formulas to paint familiar scenes and events as they appeared. Gustave Courbet was a leading figure in the Realist movement; he painted ordinary people and events, such as the funeral of a villager in Burial at Ornans. Troyon and other Realist artists shared Courbet's interest in portraying contemporary life and ordinary subjects.
• Where can I see Constant Troyon's work?+

  Constant Troyon^[8]'s paintings can be viewed in several museums internationally. In Belgium, you can find his work at the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, located in Brussels. In the United States, several institutions hold examples of his art. These include the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Chicago Art Institute, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Fogg Museum (Cambridge, Massachusetts), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the National Gallery (Washington, D.C.), the Norton Simon Art Foundation (Los Angeles), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Saint Louis Art Museum. These collections provide opportunities to study Troyon's artistic output.
• Where was Constant Troyon from?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] was French. He was an influence on Eugène Boudin, who in turn influenced Claude Monet. Boudin met Troyon around 1844 when Troyon asked him to frame some pastels. Boudin admitted that he seized this opportunity to paint a "landscape in the manner of Troyon", and the latter’s influence pervades his early work. They painted together, and their close relationship is noted by the inscription Troyon wrote on the back of one of his works, "painted with my friend Boudin near Honfleur." When Monet went to Paris, Boudin gave him a letter of introduction to Troyon. Monet acted as an intermediary between his mentor and his mentor’s mentor, conveying Troyon’s request for "finished" works.
• Who did Constant Troyon influence?+

  Constant Troyon^[8], a painter of animals and rural scenes, had an impact on several artists. Eugène Boudin met Troyon around 1844, and admitted to painting a rural view 'in the manner of Troyon'. The older artist's influence is clear in Boudin's early work. Troyon and Boudin painted together; Troyon inscribed one of his works as 'painted with my friend Boudin near Honfleur'. Boudin gave Claude Monet a letter of introduction to Troyon. Monet acted as an intermediary between the two artists. Troyon asked Monet to tell Boudin to send him a dozen finished paintings, so he could find homes for them. Troyon's work, along with that of Paulus Potter and Albert Cuyp, also influenced artists such as Rosa Bonheur, Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, Paul Huet, Félix Ziem, Anton Mauve, Willem Roelofs, Willem Maris and Max Liebermann.
• Who influenced Constant Troyon?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] influenced artists such as Eugène Boudin, who met Troyon around 1844. Troyon visited Boudin's shop, requesting that Boudin frame some pastels. Boudin seized this opportunity to paint a scene 'in the manner of Troyon'. The two artists painted together near Honfleur. Troyon inscribed on the back of one of his works that it was 'painted with my friend Boudin'. Boudin gave Monet a letter of introduction to Troyon. After visiting Troyon, Monet relayed a message from Troyon to Boudin. Troyon was surprised that Boudin was not in Paris. He asked Monet to tell Boudin to send a dozen of his most finished paintings, such as grey marines and still lifes. Troyon said he would find homes for them if they were more 'finished' than the ones Boudin had given him the last time. He advised Boudin to come to Paris. At this time, 'finish' was an important aspect of artistic taste. It related to debates over the status of painting.
• Who was Constant Troyon?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] (1810-1865) was a French painter associated with the Barbizon School. He is best known for his animal paintings and contributions to the development of French Realism. Troyon began his career painting in a style influenced by Dutch masters. He later shifted his focus to animal subjects, often depicting cattle in pastoral settings. His work gained recognition for its realistic portrayal of rural life and its attention to detail. The young Claude Monet, on his first trip to Paris in 1859, admired Troyon's work, calling him "superb". Monet sought Troyon's advice, which included studying figure drawing, copying works in the Louvre, and joining a reputable studio, such as that of Thomas Couture.
• Why are Constant Troyon's works important today?+

  Constant Troyon^[8] (1810-1865) was a French painter associated with the Barbizon school, a group of artists who, like Constable, turned to nature for their subjects. Troyon's importance stems from his skill in animal painting and his contribution to the development of realism in French art. He is known for his paintings of cattle in expansive settings, often with dramatic skies. These works capture the textures and light of the rural French countryside. Meier-Graefe recognised Courbet as the founder of modern painting, not only in France but across Europe from England to Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and Germany. Meier-Graefe alone placed Courbet's work at the centre of his achievement: "Courbet is the purer artist." Courbet's avant-garde legacy endures. His dynamic brush marks influenced artists such as Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning. These artists continued to revitalise and revolutionise painting along lines sketched by Courbet. His influence extends to contemporary photography as well. Jeff Wall's photograph 'The Drain' (1989) has iconographic roots in Courbet, via Cézanne.