Isidore Pils
Encyclopedia
Isidore-Alexandre-Augustin Pils (July 19, 1813 - December 3, 1875) was a French painter.
Pils was born in Paris as the son of a soldier. At the age of twelve, he studied with Guillaume Guillon-Lethière
for four years. He later studied under François-Édouard Picot
.
By 1840 he'd been admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
and was competing for the Prix de Rome
, which he won in 1841 for a history painting, St. Peter Healing a Lame Man at the Door of the Temple. Although in poor health, Pils then spent the customary three years at the French Academy in Rome
at the Villa Medici
, which then had Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
as its director. While in Italy he visited Naples, Venice, and Florence.
Pils's earlier paintings have religious themes. In 1849 he completed his most famous work, Rouget de L'Isle
Singing La Marseillaise
, which now resides at the Musée historique de Strasbourg
. After experiences travelling with French troops through the Crimea, his themes took on military and nationalistic subjects. He later produced many military scenes during the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870.
Pils was appointed professor of painting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1863 but left the same year for two years in Algeria. In 1868 he was elected to seat #14 of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
. Among his students were Adrien Moreau
, Paul Adolphe Rajon
, Julien Dupré
, Luc-Olivier Merson
, Édouard Joseph Dantan, and László Mednyánszky
.
Among his other work, Pils painted part of the ceiling of the grand staircase of the Palais Garnier
, in four panels titled "The Gods of Olympus", "Apollo in His Chariot", "Triumph of Harmony", and "Apotheosis of the Opera", completed the year of his death. The following year he was the subject of a biography by Louis Becq de Fouquières
.
Pils is buried in section 54 of Père Lachaise Cemetery
.
Pils was born in Paris as the son of a soldier. At the age of twelve, he studied with Guillaume Guillon-Lethière
Guillaume Guillon-Lethière
Guillaume Guillon Lethière was a French neoclassical painter.Born in Guadeloupe in 1760 to a French colonial official named Pierre Guillon and a disenfranchised "mulatto" mother, Lethière has been often written about in the context of French colonial history and the French Revolution.At 14 years...
for four years. He later studied under François-Édouard Picot
François-Édouard Picot
François-Edouard Picot was a French painter during the July Monarchy, painting mythological, religious and historical subjects.-Life:Born in Paris, Picot won the Prix de Rome painting scholarship in 1813...
.
By 1840 he'd been admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
and was competing for the Prix de Rome
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
, which he won in 1841 for a history painting, St. Peter Healing a Lame Man at the Door of the Temple. Although in poor health, Pils then spent the customary three years at the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
at the Villa Medici
Villa Medici
The Villa Medici is a mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and now property of the French...
, which then had Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a French Neoclassical painter. Although he considered himself to be a painter of history in the tradition of Nicolas Poussin and Jacques-Louis David, by the end of his life it was Ingres's portraits, both painted and drawn, that were recognized as his greatest...
as its director. While in Italy he visited Naples, Venice, and Florence.
Pils's earlier paintings have religious themes. In 1849 he completed his most famous work, Rouget de L'Isle
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle , was a French Army officer of the Revolutionary Wars. He is known for writing the words and music of the Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin in 1792, which would later be known as La Marseillaise and become the French national anthem.- Biography :Rouget de Lisle was...
Singing La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
, which now resides at the Musée historique de Strasbourg
Musée historique de Strasbourg
The Musée historique de la ville de Strasbourg is a museum in Strasbourg in the Bas-Rhin department of France. It is located in the Renaissance building of the former slaughterhouse and is dedicated to the tumultuous history of the city from the early Middle Ages until the contemporary period.-...
. After experiences travelling with French troops through the Crimea, his themes took on military and nationalistic subjects. He later produced many military scenes during the siege of Paris during 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...
of 1870.
Pils was appointed professor of painting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1863 but left the same year for two years in Algeria. In 1868 he was elected to seat #14 of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
Académie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
. Among his students were Adrien Moreau
Adrien Moreau
Adrien Moreau was a French genre and historical painter, sculptor and illustrator.Moreau was born in Troyes in Aube départment. He began his artistic training as an apprentice glassmaker, but left for Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts under Léon Cogniet and Isidore Pils...
, Paul Adolphe Rajon
Paul Adolphe Rajon
Paul-Adolphe Rajon was a French painter and printmaker, who started his career as a photographer while studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Isidore-Alexandre-Augustin Pils. Rajon was a friend of Émile Boilvin, Philippe Burty, Félix Bracquemond and Louis-Charles-Auguste Steinheil...
, Julien Dupré
Julien Dupré
Julien Dupré was born in Paris on March 18, 1851 to Jean Dupré and Pauline Bouillié and began his adult life working in a lace shop in anticipation of entering his family’s jewelry business...
, Luc-Olivier Merson
Luc-Olivier Merson
Luc-Olivier Merson was a French academic painter and illustrator also known for his postage stamp and currency designs....
, Édouard Joseph Dantan, and László Mednyánszky
László Mednyánszky
Baron László Mednyánszky or Ladislaus Josephus Balthasar Eustachius Mednyánszky Mednyánszky, the painter-philosopher, is one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of Hungarian art. Despite an aristocratic background, he spent most of his life moving around Europe working as an artist...
.
Among his other work, Pils painted part of the ceiling of the grand staircase of the Palais Garnier
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
, in four panels titled "The Gods of Olympus", "Apollo in His Chariot", "Triumph of Harmony", and "Apotheosis of the Opera", completed the year of his death. The following year he was the subject of a biography by Louis Becq de Fouquières
Louis Becq de Fouquières
Louis Aimé Victor Becq de Fouquières was a versatile French man of letters from Paris.-Biography:His family came from the Pas-de-Calais. He gave up a military career and became known for his critical editions on the work of André Chénier...
.
Pils is buried in section 54 of Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
.