![]() ![]() He also refused to set one political sphere off against another, leaving no space between the surrounding characters: on the right we see Talleyrand, in the centre, Castlereagh, and on the left, Metternich. He therefore chose to paint a moment of pause in the negotiations, capturing both the solemn atmosphere and a sense of flexibility with the figures standing in different groups rather than around the circular space dominated by the discussion. Isabey’s task was not simple: he had to portray a large number of important figures, respecting their rank and title, without showing them stiffly huddled around the discussion table. He also received delegates of the Congress in order to perfect the finer details of his main commission. At the same time, he carried out portraits of the notable personalities hovering around the Congress, who came to visit him in his Viennese atelier. In September 1814, he set up near the Danube and the Prater to work on his portrait of the great political congress. Isabey was a pupil of Jacques-Louis David and became internationally renowned for his talents as a portrait artist (self-portrait here) and miniaturist, which would allow him to remain untouched by the decline of the Empire and the vagaries of the subsequent regimes.Īt Talleyrand’s instigation, Isabey was fast-tracked to become official painter of the Congress of Vienna. He was one of the only artists given privileged access to the First Consul at Malmaison, and as a result he created the iconic early view of Napoleon. ![]() ![]() Jean-Baptiste Isabey began his career at the court of Versailles during the Ancien Régime and became one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s official painters. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |