Carle Vernet

Key facts

Lived

1758–1836, French^[1]

Movement

• history painting

^[1]

Works held in

9 museums

Wikipedia

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• What is Carle Vernet known for?+

  Carle Vernet is known for his paintings of horses, hunting scenes, and military subjects, particularly during the Napoleonic period. His painting, Morning of Austerlitz, earned him the Legion of Honour from Napoleon. He also helped establish lithography as a medium for wide pictorial distribution in France.
• What is Carle Vernet's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to name one single work as Carle Vernet's most famous, as he produced many paintings and prints across a range of genres. He came from an artistic family; his father Claude Joseph Vernet was a painter, and his son Horace Vernet also became a well-known artist. Carle Vernet is particularly known for his depictions of horses, hunting scenes, and military subjects. He gained considerable recognition during his lifetime, and his works were popular among the French^[1] aristocracy and military elite. Without more information, it is not possible to say which work is the most famous today. He was active during a turbulent period of French history, which included the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era; this is reflected in his choice of subject matter.
• What should I know about Carle Vernet's prints?+

  Carle Vernet (1758^[1]-1836^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and printmaker, son of Claude Joseph Vernet, and father of Horace Vernet. His prints, like those of many artists, exist in several states, and understanding these distinctions is key to appreciating them. Terminology includes 'vintage print' (made around the time the negative was taken), 'period print' (made within 10-15 years of the negative), 'old print' (printing time unknown or more than 15 years after shooting), and 'modern print' (recently printed from the original negative). An 'original print' is made by the artist or under their supervision. A 'facsimile' is a reproduction striving to match the original's materials and processing. Prints are often produced in limited editions, each numbered (e.g., 35/100, where 35 is the print number and 100 is the edition size). 'Artist's proofs' (A/P) may also exist, typically up to 10% of the edition. Other markings include 'T/P' for early proofs, 'V2' (or V3, etc.) for variants, 'V/E' for variable editions, and 'Hors de Commerce' for non-commercial prints. These details help collectors understand the print's history and value.
• What style or movement did Carle Vernet belong to?+

  Carle Vernet (1758^[1]-1836^[1]) lived and worked during a period of change in French^[1] art. He began his career during the Neoclassical movement, and he later became associated with Romanticism. These styles overlapped and shared some characteristics. Vernet is known for his paintings of battles, historical events, and horses. He also produced genre scenes and caricatures. History painting was a significant genre during Vernet's time. It was often created on a large scale and intended to glorify rulers, nations, or specific beliefs. Neoclassical history paintings often presented idealised scenes with classical attributes. As Neoclassicism waned, artists started to combine it with Romanticism, which had a longing for distant places. Vernet's son Horace also became a painter, later directing the French Academy in Rome.
• What techniques or materials did Carle Vernet use?+

  Information regarding Carle Vernet's specific techniques and materials is scarce. However, some context can be gleaned from an examination of the practices of his contemporaries and predecessors. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, artists had a growing range of materials to choose from. The increased economic interaction between France and England meant a greater sharing of information all over Europe. Diderot's *Encyclopédie*, published between 1751 and 1772^[1], was a landmark in the recording of knowledge regarding artistic techniques. Artists such as J.M.W. Turner, a near contemporary of Vernet, initially worked as a watercolourist before using oil paint. Turner developed techniques in watercolour that he later employed in oil. These included transparent washes over white paper, reserving highlights, and mixing greens by overlaying washes of brown and blue. Turner was known to have experimented with nearly all materials and methods, utilising new application techniques and pigments in both media.
• What was Carle Vernet known for?+

  Carle Vernet (1758^[1]-1836^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and printmaker, known for his varied output. He came from an artistic family; his father, Joseph Vernet, was a celebrated painter of seaports and his son, Horace Vernet, also achieved fame as a painter. Carle Vernet's subject matter included military scenes, hunts, and depictions of horses. He worked in various genres, including history painting^[1] and what became known as Orientalism. His painting *Jehuda and Tamar* (1840, Wallace Collection, London) shows a biblical scene rendered with attention to detail. The artist aimed for a faithful rendering of textiles and accessories. The painting interprets a literary model and offers a commentary, rather than a symbolic motif of general relevance. Vernet directed the French Academy in Rome from 1828^[1] to 1835. He also travelled to North Africa. His painting *The Conquest of the Smalah* is a large work, over 100 square metres in size.
• When did Carle Vernet live and work?+

  Carle Vernet was born in Bordeaux in 1758^[1], and he died in Paris in 1836^[1]. Vernet came from an artistic family; his father, Claude Joseph Vernet, was a painter of seaports, and his son, Horace Vernet, also became a well-known painter, most notably for his depictions of battles. Carle Vernet made a name for himself as a painter and printmaker, creating works that spanned various genres. These included depictions of animals, sporting scenes, military subjects, and caricatures. He gained popularity during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period that saw significant political and social change in France. Vernet's career coincided with the French^[1] Revolution and the Napoleonic era. Later, during the reign of Louis Philippe, the Musée Historique was established at Versailles. The rooms were redecorated and filled with paintings depicting French historical events, some of which were taken from the Louvre and other royal palaces. Contemporary painters, including Vernet's son Horace, were commissioned to create new works.
• Where can I see Carle Vernet's work?+

  Carle Vernet's works can be viewed in several museums. These include the Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Musée du Petit Palais, all located in Paris. Other locations include the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lille, and Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice. These museums hold a selection of Vernet's paintings and drawings. Vernet, a French^[1] painter and printmaker, is best known for his depictions of battles, horses, and scenes from daily life. His detailed compositions and energetic style made him a popular artist during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He came from an artistic family; his father, Claude Joseph Vernet, was also a well-regarded painter.
• Where was Carle Vernet from?+

  Carle Vernet was from France. More specifically, he was born in Avignon. His father, Joseph Vernet (1714-1789^[1]), was a well-regarded painter of imaginary views and seascapes. Joseph gained membership to the Académie de France in Rome, despite not having studied in Paris. He developed a strong reputation in Rome, working for international clients. He became a full member of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. Another artist with the surname Van Loo, Carle van Loo (1705-1765^[1]), was born in Nice. Van Loo came from a family of Dutch artists active during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. He painted mythological and allegorical scenes, as well as genre scenes, such as *Concert espagnol* and *Lecture d’un livre espagnol*.
• Who did Carle Vernet influence?+

  Carle Vernet's work influenced many artists. During the years immediately after his death, hardly a single important painter escaped his influence. Rubens, Velàzquez and Pietro da Cortona all echoed his compositions or copied his devices and traits. Within a generation, entire schools of so-called Caravaggisti established themselves in both Italy and the Netherlands. Partly perhaps because of the location of the French^[1] Academy in Rome, at the top of the Spanish Steps, and within easy walking distance of so many of his most important altarpieces, he would have an especially powerful impact on French art. His influence can be detected in the work of such widely differing French painters as Valentin de Boulogne and Georges de La Tour. There was a particularly strong resurgence of interest in his art during the Neoclassical and Romantic periods. In England, Joseph Wright of Derby’s Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump of 1768^[1] transformed the scientific demonstration of the effects of a vacuum on a living creature into a hushed modern version of a miracle as painted by Caravaggio. In France, the self-appointed painter to the Revolution, Jacques-Louis David, painted the dead Marat slumped in his bath as if he were one of Caravaggio’s spotlit martyrs, and in 1819 Theodore Géricault conceived arguably the first great masterpiece of French Romanticism, The Raft of the Medusa, as a modern, secularized version of an altarpiece by Caravaggio.
• Who influenced Carle Vernet?+

  Carle Vernet (1758^[1]-1836^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and printmaker, known for his depictions of battles, hunts, and horses. Although sources do not directly address Vernet's influences, some context can be inferred from the period. Turner, a later artist, was taught to follow the "Rules of Art, as established by the practice of the great Masters" by Sir Joshua Reynolds (president of the Royal Academy). Reynolds suggested that painters should study the Dutch school to learn the fundamentals, and then travel to Italy for higher knowledge. Dutch painters like Jan van Goyen (1596-1656^[1]), Willem van de Velde the Elder (1611-1693) and Younger (1633-1707), Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1691), and Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/29-1682) were important. Michel's work combined Rembrandt’s impasto with Ruisdael’s brushstroke; he also drew from Salomon van Ruysdael and Jan van Goyen. Hubert Robert was a copyist of Ruisdael’s "Ray of Sunlight". Boudin and Jongkind, Normandy painters, were direct influences on the Impressionists.
• Who was Carle Vernet?+

  Antoine Charles Horace Vernet, known as Carle Vernet, was born in Bordeaux in 1758^[1]. He won the Prix de Rome in 1782^[1] and later became known for his paintings of horses and military subjects during the Napoleonic period. He was also an early champion of lithography in France.