Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier is one of the most famous French painters. He reached the heyday with his works in the 1850s and 1860s. The passion and enthusiasm for art led him to Paris at the age of 17. There he became a student of the history and portrait painter Léon Cogniet. He had great admiration for the works of the Dutch masters, which he studied closely during his visits to the Louvre. Initially he copied their works in order to learn and perfect his painting technique. At the beginning of his artistic career, he took on numerous commissions for printers to make ends meet. His illustrations adorned various editions of the Bible and works by Ludovico Ariostos and Henri-Bernardin de Saint Pierre. In the early phase of his creative period he also painted religious scenes, as these were particularly popular at the time.
In 1836, the artist exhibited works with scenes from the 17th and 18th centuries for the first time in the Paris Salon. By this time Meissonier had already developed his characteristic painting style with recognition value. The public was enthusiastic about his paintings. Art critics also praised his representations. He achieved the greatest success with his military influenced paintings, which helped him to a great commercial success. With detailed accuracy Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier depicted persons from the time of Louis XIV and Louis XV in his works. The realistic and elegant portraits were very popular with the public. He preferred historical and military motifs. His depictions of the French wars under Napoleon are particularly well known. However, Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier received not only praise for his works of art. The military and often stylized representations were also criticized by artist colleagues. The impressionist Gustave Courbet was one of the most prominent critics of his works.
From 1870, for example, the Georges Petit Gallery added his works to its portfolio. Through this gallery his works reached numerous wealthy art lovers in America, who bought Meissonier's works with preference. He also reached a broad public with his etchings, lithographs and drawings. In his time he was one of the leading artists of classicism. Some of his works were already awarded prizes during his lifetime. In 1867 he was given the opportunity for the first time to participate with his artistic ideas in the Paris World Exhibition. He produced five paintings especially for this occasion. Meissonier was also involved in the 1878 World Exhibition. Shortly before his death he received the Cross of the Legion of Honor, one of the highest honors in France. His son Jean Charles also possessed great artistic talent, so it is not surprising that he followed in his father's footsteps professionally. He also received lessons from his father. Meissonier died in Paris in 1891 at the age of 75. The Rue Meissonier in the 17th arrondissement of Paris was named after the successful artist.
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.jpg "The Chess Players by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "1807, Friedland, ca. 1861-75 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Young Man Writing, 1852 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Reader in White, 1857 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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 on Campaign in 1814 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-72069).jpg "Napoleon on Campaign in 1814 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
 on Campaign in 1814 1864 - (MeisterDrucke-72069).jpg)
_1849_(oil_-_(MeisterDrucke-1426102).jpg "Barricade in the Rue de la Mortellerie, June 1848 (Memory of Civil War) by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Ruins of the Tuileries, 1871 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Sergeant")
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.jpg "A General and His Aide-de-camp, 1869 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Campagne de France, or 1814, Recently Sold for £34,000 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Alexandre Batta, the Cellist, 1855 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Brawl by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Morning of the Battle of Castiglione, 5th August, 1796 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Campaign of France 1814 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "1814. French Campaign by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Charge of the French Cuirassiers at Friedland on 14 June 1807 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Revolution of 1848: La Barricade Rue de la Mortellerie in June 1848 or Souvenir of Civil War by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 27: Detail Study for On a Terrace and Landscape Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "1814 Campaign of France by Henry Wolf")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-904799).jpg "1807, Friedland by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "1814 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Return of the Soldier, 1873 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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 and his Staff c1860 (see also 62590) - (MeisterDrucke-52576).jpg "Napoleon I and His Staff by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
 and his Staff c1860 (see also 62590) - (MeisterDrucke-52576).jpg)
.jpg "The Defense of Paris by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 18: Study of a Horse and Landscape Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 15: Study of a Soldier by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 69: Study of a Hand, a Horse, and a Figure by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Grand Canal, Venice, 1888 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 71: Study of a Figure Reading in Bed, Study of a Hand by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Mozart Playing the Violin by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Defense of Paris by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 44: Church Spire by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1637555).jpg "Portrait of a Lady by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Napoleon during French Campaign of 1814 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_also_known_as_Un_peintre_Pain_-_(MeisterDrucke-961575).jpg "Painting lovers (in the taste of the 18th century), also known as Un peintre. Painting by Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Amateur Painters by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Soldiers on Horseback by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 29: Landscape Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 68: Study of a Hand by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 50: Boats, Figures, Cargo on a Beach by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1228263).jpg "The Herald of Murcia and Other Studies by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_in_1877_Painting_by_Jean_Louis_Ernest_-_(MeisterDrucke-988480).jpg "Portrait of Alexandre Dumas Jr. in 1877 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 31: Study of Figures by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 78: Landscape Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Ruins of the Tuileries Palace after the Commune of 1871, 1877 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1658501).jpg "The Reader in White by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 04: Figures in a Boat by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Musketeer by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Swordsman in a Red Cloak by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 37: Figure Study, crossed legs by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 58: Reclining Figure and Figure from Behind by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 99: Study of Figure, Building by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1315343).jpg "Horseman with a Tricorn Hat by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 42: Three Figures by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Madonna del Bacio at San Marco, Venice by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "A Huguenot by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 77: Figure Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Hetzel by Meissonnier in 1879,")
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.jpg "A Painter by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 60: Nude Male Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Musician by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Polichinelle in Pink, 1879 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1658220).jpg "Self-Portrait by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 22: Architectural Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 80: Study of Faces by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_during_the_Russia_-_(MeisterDrucke-1014549).jpg "Traveller in the Wind (Napoleon Bonaparte during the Russian Campaign) by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 14: Figures by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Young Man Writing in His Office by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 84: Figure Study, Study of a Ship by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "An Artist showing his Work, c1850 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 02: Studies of Legs by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 45: Woman")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-220507).jpg "The Art Lovers, or The Painter by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Information by Henry Wolf")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 82: Study of Figures by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_1890_Sun_052x061_m_Paris_-_(MeisterDrucke-972320).jpg "Self-Portrait by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 24: Seated Male Figure by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 32: Study of Figures by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Campaign of France by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Portrait of the Composer Alexandre Batta by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 64: Figures on a Stairway by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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_allegory_Paris_besieged_by_the_Prussians_Painting_-_(MeisterDrucke-960751).jpg "The Siege of Paris (1870-1871), allegory Paris besieged by the Prussians by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 62: Figure Study, Stairway, Horse by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Charles the Great, King of the Franks by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 49: Architectural Study by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 55: Study for a Horse by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Signor Annibale by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "A Portrait of Meissonier by himself by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Allegory of the Siege of Paris, 1870 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 07: Study of a Horse by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 70: Study of Two Faces and a Hand by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, Page 56 & 57: Study of a Horse by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "The Wooden Staircase of the Cathedrale de Lausanne by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Marshal Saxe and His Troops by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 38: Study of a Soldier and Figure in Top Hat by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 63: Figures in a Courtyard by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Portrait of pianist and composer Alfred Quidant, 1872 by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "Sketchbook, page 13: Bust of a Man in Profile by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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.jpg "A Man of War by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier")
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