Saturday, July 14, 2012

Jules-Elie Delaunay (1828-1891)

"Posterity will give their due to his fine portraits, forceful ornamentation and noble drawings, whose gravity did not seek the public eye. It may be that in spurning popularity, Delaunay found true glory."Georges Lafenestre,
Elie Delaunay (Gazette des Beaux-arts, 1891, VI. 3rd period, p. 500)


Self-portrait V.1860 Oil on canvas 64,5 x 24,5 cm


Communion of the Apostles 1861 Oil on canvas 284 x 204 cm

Death of Nessus 1870 Oil on canvas 95 x 125 cm

Nude, Rome c.1858

Portrait of Madame Raoul-Alfred Philippe 1877 Oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm

Capri Graphite and watercolour highlighting 24,2x30 cm

Diane 1872


Decorative works completed in 1874 for the lobby of the Paris Opera, clockwise from top: Immortality (Le Zodiaque) ; Amphion (Amphion Building a City) ; Parnassus (Apollon recevant la lyre) ; Orphée et Eurydice (Orpheus and Eurydice).


2 comments:

  1. He distinguished himself in a wide variety of artistic situations, a real artist's artist. Too bad he really hasn't received his due (yet anyways).

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    1. I wish he had occasion to do more religious works. He managed to combine masculine power and feminine grace with great solemnity.

      2nd generation school of Ingres, cross-pollination betwixt he and his friends Degas and Moreau, a rare blend (strictly top shelf) for refined palates, which I'm afraid will keep him a cult figure. Here's to said cult growing in number!

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