Jean-François Pierre Peyron


Jean-François Pierre Peyron was a French Neoclassical painter, printmaker, and art collector.

Biography

Peyron was born on 15 December 1744 in Aix-en-Provence in Southern France to a wealthy family. He studied law until the death of his father in 1765, at which point Peyron enrolled in the in Aix. There he learned from the history painter and etcher Michel-François Dandré-Bardon. In 1767, Peyron moved to Paris at the age of twenty-three where he entered the atelier of Rococo painter Louis Jean François Lagrenée.
He was one of the first to re-apply the Classic principles of composition, in the manner of Poussin, while the prevailing fashion was in favour of Rococo.
In 1773, the Académie royale de peinture announced that the theme for the next Grand Prix de Rome would be the death of Seneca as described by Tacitus, a favorite topic for French painters. Of the six artists approved to compete, first prize was awarded to Peyron for a now lost painting, but for which an engraving survives.
He spent the years between 1775 and 1782 in Rome, with the Academy of France in Rome.
On his return to Paris, Peyron found that the career of his rival, Jacques-Louis David, had taken its rise and had completely eclipsed his own, relegating it to a minor role in the history of art – which became evident in the exhibitions at the Salon of Paris between 1785 and 1787. Following his fall from grace, Peyron was appointed inspector general of the Gobelins tapestry factory from 1786 to 1792.
David would later pay homage to Peyron at the time of his funeral, stating: "He had opened my eyes". Peyron died in Paris in 1814, aged 69.

List of works (partial)

The Death of Seneca – a now-lost painting that earned Peyron the Prix de RomeAthéniennes or Young Athenians Drawing Lots to be Sacrificed to the Minotaur – Wellington Museum, LondonBelisarius Receiving Hospitality from a Peasant Who Had Served under Him – Musée de Augustins, ToulouseHagar and the Angel ''– private collection,'' ParisCornelia, Mother of the Gracchi ''– National Gallery,'' LondonThe Funeral of Miltiades – The Louvre, ParisThe Resurrection of Christ – Church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, ParisSocrate arrachant Alcibiade des bras de la Volupté –, GuéretThe Death of Alcestis – The Louvre, ParisThe Death of Socrates – National Gallery of Denmark, CopenhagenManius Curius Dentatus Refusing the Samnite Ambassadors – Musée des Beaux-Arts, MarseilleThe Death of Socrates – Joslyn Art Museum, OmahaUlysse et Nausicaa – Staatliches Museum Schwerin, SchwerinTime and Minerva – Ministère des Armées, ParisKing Perseus of Macedon in front of Aemilius Paulus – Museum of Fine Arts, BudapestPaul-Émile, conqueror of Perseus, last king of the Macedonians – Exhibited at the Salon of 1804, then later deposited at the Museum of Fine Arts in Caen before being destroyed during World War II. A painted sketch from 1802 can still be found in Budapest.The Death of General Valhubert – Musée de l'Histoire de France, Palace of VersaillesThe School of Pythagoras – Exhibited at the Salon of 1812, now lostL'Entretien de Démocrite avec Hippocrate – Exhibited at the Salon of 1812, now lostSainte Madeleine méditant – Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence