Delaroche, HIPPOLYTE,

Delaroche, HIPPOLYTE, known as PAUL, painter, the head of the modern Eclectic school of art in France, was born at Paris, 16th July 1797. He studied under Baron Gros, and between 1819 and 1823 acquired some note by painting scriptural subjects, but first excited public admiration in 1824, by his 'St Vincent de Paul preaching in the Presence of Louis XIII.' and 'Joan of Arc before Cardinal Beaufort.' These exhibit the earliest indications of that style for which he afterwards became famous—a style which endeavoured to unite the picturesqueness of the romantic with the dignity of the classic school of art. In 1826 Delaroche produced his 'Death of President Durante,' and in 1827 his 'Death of Queen Elizabeth.' These pictures greatly increased his reputation, but the last is reckoned a failure by English critics. In 1831 he produced the 'Princes in the Tower,' a work of high merit; in 1833, 'Cromwell contemplating the Corpse of Charles I.,' which is generally regarded as one of the first historical paintings of modern times. In 1834 appeared his 'Execution of Lady Jane Grey,' and in 1837 his 'Charles I. insulted by the Parliamentary Soldiers,' and his 'Strafford receiving Laud's Blessing on the Way to Execution.' From this period until 1841 he was engaged on what is probably his grandest work—the series of paintings on the wall of the semicircular saloon of the École des Beaux Arts, in the execution of which he was aided by Armitage and other of his pupils. This composition, in which the style is simple, lofty, and chaste, contains 74 figures, comprising the greatest sculptors, painters, and architects in all history, according to Delaroche's judgment. It was excellently engraved by Henriquet Dupont, from a reduced copy made by the painter himself. Among his later works may be mentioned, 'Bonaparte at St Bernard' (1850); 'Marie Antoinette before the Revolutionary Tribunal' (1851); 'The Finding of Moses' (1852); 'Calvary' (1853); 'Christ in Gethsemane' (1854); 'The Girondins in the Concierge' (1856); and, one of his best-known works, 'The Floating Martyr.' He also executed some striking portraits, including those of M. Guizot (1838), and M. Thiers (1856). He died November 4, 1856. The characteristic excellences of Delaroche are picturesqueness of conception, precision of handling, and accuracy of drawing. He has been accused, however, of want of fire, imagination, and depth, and it must be admitted that he very rarely, if ever, exhibits the highest qualities of creative genius. Delaroche was made a member of the Institute in 1832, and professor of Painting in the École des Beaux Arts in 1833. See Rees, Vernet and Delaroche (1880).