Guillaume Fouace
Encyclopedia
Guillaume Fouace was a French painter. He produced over 700 paintings in a realist style, mainly portraits, still lifes and landscapes - the Musée d'Orsay
has some of them, whilst 40 are displayed in a 'Salle de Fouace' at the Musée Thomas-Henry
in Cherbourg-Octeville.
, a hamlet of Jonville, he took over the family farm aged 24 after his father's death. He had produced drawings since he was a child and his talent was recognised by the museum curator in Cherbourg, who gained Fouace two municipal bursaries from Cherbourg to study art in Paris (as had his predecessor from Cotentin, Jean-François Millet
). There he studied under Adolphe Yvon
before setting up a studio as a portrait painter. He then fought in the Franco-Prussian War
. In 1870, three years after arriving in Paris, he exhibited at the Paris Salon
. In 1873 he exhibited his first still lifes.
After the war he moved permanently to Paris with his wife, the daughter of a pharmacist in Cherbourg who he had married in 1874. However, he did not forget the Cotentin - in 1878 he painted 19 canvases of biblical scenes such as the Annunciation, Flight from Egypt and the journey of the Magi for the vaults of the church at Montfarville
, while for its choir he painted a copy of Leonardo da Vinci
's Last Supper.
He died in 1895 of a pulmonary disease after receiving the medal of a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
. His tomb in Réville features a recumbent white marble statue of his daughter Beatrix (1875–1888).
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture,...
has some of them, whilst 40 are displayed in a 'Salle de Fouace' at the Musée Thomas-Henry
Musée Thomas-Henry
The Musée des beaux-arts Thomas Henry is a museum at Cherbourg-Octeville with around 300 artworks, mainly paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries...
in Cherbourg-Octeville.
Life
Born to farmers in RévilleRéville
Réville is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
, a hamlet of Jonville, he took over the family farm aged 24 after his father's death. He had produced drawings since he was a child and his talent was recognised by the museum curator in Cherbourg, who gained Fouace two municipal bursaries from Cherbourg to study art in Paris (as had his predecessor from Cotentin, Jean-François Millet
Jean-François Millet
Jean-François Millet was a French painter and one of the founders of the Barbizon school in rural France...
). There he studied under Adolphe Yvon
Adolphe Yvon
Adolphe Yvon was a French painter known for his paintings from the Napoleonic Wars. Yvon studied under Paul Delaroche, rose to fame during the Second Empire, then finished his career as a teacher....
before setting up a studio as a portrait painter. He then fought in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. In 1870, three years after arriving in Paris, he exhibited at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
. In 1873 he exhibited his first still lifes.
After the war he moved permanently to Paris with his wife, the daughter of a pharmacist in Cherbourg who he had married in 1874. However, he did not forget the Cotentin - in 1878 he painted 19 canvases of biblical scenes such as the Annunciation, Flight from Egypt and the journey of the Magi for the vaults of the church at Montfarville
Montfarville
Montfarville is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
, while for its choir he painted a copy of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
's Last Supper.
He died in 1895 of a pulmonary disease after receiving the medal of a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. His tomb in Réville features a recumbent white marble statue of his daughter Beatrix (1875–1888).