François Flameng (1856–1923) was a notable French painter during the last quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th. He was the son of Léopold Flameng, a celebrated printmaker, and received a first-rate education in his craft.

Work

Flameng initially received renown for his

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

and portraiture, and became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. He decorated such important civic buildings as the Sorbonne and the Opera Comique, and also produced advertising work. Flameng was granted France's highest civilian honor, the Legion d'Honneur, and designed France's first bank notes. He was also made an honorary Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the

1908 Birthday Honours The 1908 Birthday Honours for the British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began wi ...

. Flameng later received renown for his painting of World War I. He was named honorary president of the Society of Military Painters and an accredited documenter for the War Ministry. His work was displayed in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, as well as being reproduced in newsmagazines. At the time they were painted, Flameng's war paintings were derided by many critics for being too realistic and not including heroic drama (although his paintings seem

romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

to eyes which have seen photographs of genocide and nuclear war). Most of his war paintings were donated to the Musée de l'Armée in 1920. In 1919 he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Honorary Corresponding Academician.

Marriage, family and friends

François Flameng and Paul Helleu, 1880 by Sargent

Flameng married Marguerite Henriette Augusta Turquet (1863–?) at

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...

on 30 November 1881. Their daughter Marie married the tennis star Max Decugis, whom Flameng also painted.Who's who in Europe: dictionnaire biographique des personnalités ... International Publications Service - 1980 "DECUGIS Max Omer. Rentier. Né a Paris, le 24-9-1882. F.: d'Alfred, commissionnaire en fruits et primeurs, et de Sidonie Brauwers. M. : le 16-5-1905, à Paris, avec Marie-Françoise Flameng. Enf. : Christiane. Asc. : François Flameng ... François Flameng was a friend of

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more ...

, who painted his portrait, he also traveled with Jean-Léon Gérôme and Victor Clairin in Italy, and tutored Paul-Émile Bécat.

Gallery

File:Reception at Malmaison in 1802 by François Flameng.jpg, ''Reception at Malmaison in 1802 (circa 1894)'' File:François Flameng - Bathing of Court Ladies in the 18th Century, 1888.jpg, Court Ladies Bathing in the 18th Century (1888) File:A Machine-Gun Company of Chasseurs Alpins in the Barren Winter Landscape of the Vosges. painting by Francois Flamenge.jpg, A Machine Gun Company of Chasseurs Alpins in the Barren Winter Landscape of the Vosges File:François Flameng-Retour d’un vol.jpg, Retour d’un vol de nuit sur avions "Voisin" de bombardement (1918) File:The pathway of life to which is added a biography of Dr. Talmage (1888) (14779220691).jpg, The pathway of life ... to which is added a biography of Dr. Talmage (1888) File:Flameng - Le déjeuner de Camille Desmoulins.jpg, ''Le déjeuner de Camille Desmoulins'', tableau de François Flameng reproduit dans le ''Supplément illustré du Petit Journal'' (5 November 1892). File:Flameng – Marie-Louise Fould, née Heine.jpg, Mme Marie-Louise Fould, née Heine (1903) File:Zinaide Yusupova with sons by F.Flameng (1894).jpg, ''Portrait of Princess Zinaida N. Yusupova with Two Sons at Arkhangelskoe (1894)'' File:Flameng Francois Family Portrait Of A Boy And His Two Sisters.jpg, ''Frère et Soeurs Brother and Sisters or possibly The Picture Book or possibly Family Portrait of a Boy and his two Sisters admiring a Sketch Book (1900)''

Works

Flameng's portraits include: *Family Portrait of a Boy and His Two Sisters *Fashionable Beauty *Portrait of a Girl Holding Her Two Toy Elephants *Portrait of

Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...

*Two portraits of Princess Zinaida Yusupova in Arkhangelskoye *Portrait of Elsie Salomon Duveen, wife of the art dealer Joseph Duveen, an oval in the Ferens Art Gallery, Kingston-upon-Hull. * Portrait of Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII, full-length seated, in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. Flameng's history paintings included: *The Carnival, Venice *Court Ladies Bathing in the 18th century *Grolier in the House of Aldus (at Grolier Club in New York) *Molière Demanding an Audience With King Louis XIV at Versailles *Napoléon Studying Military History *Reception at Malmaison, 1802 Paintings of the first world war include: *A Machine Gun Company of Chasseurs Alpins in the Barren Winter Landscape of the Vosges *The Battle of the Yser in 1914 *The Donkey,

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

, 1916 *The Forgotten Front *Heavy Artillery on the Railway, October 1916

References

External links

The Landscapes of War
- page with a gallery of war paintings of François Flameng * {{DEFAULTSORT:Flameng, Francois 1856 births 1923 deaths 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists Academic staff of the Académie Julian Honorary Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order Members of the Académie des beaux-arts 19th-century painters of historical subjects 19th-century French male artists