The directory «Artists»

Pils Isidore Alexandre Augustin
(1813—1875)

Isidore Pils was born on July 19, 1813 in Paris, France. At the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he studied with Lethiere and Picot, winning the Prix de Rome in 1838. After his initial academic training, Pils painted religious scenes of Madonnas and the like, but it was with the advent of the Crimean War that Pils truly came into his own. The Crimean War lasted from 1854-1856, and was fought between Russia and an alliance of France, the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia. The war, while short by Nineteenth Century standards, was the major event of the times. As this was the age before photography, art was the a main conveyor of information, and trained artists like Pils were in high demand by both the government and the public for their portrayals of events and the figures behind them. Amongst the French, Russian, and English artists who made their name during this conflict, Pils is one of the most prominent. Pils painted several paintings later at Sainte-Clotilde and Saint-Eustache. He was also commissioned for works at the French Opera. Pils was a regular exhibitor at the French Salons from 1846-1875. From 1863 onwards, he was a Professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and a member of the jury for the Salons of 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867 (Exposition Universelle), and 1868. Pils was made Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur in 1857, became an Officer of the Legion d'honneur in 1867, and a member of the Institute in 1868.

Guinea, 1989, Danton, Rouget de Lisle, Storming of the Tuileries