Achille Jacques Jean Marie Devéria (February 6, 1800 – December 23, 1857) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the vibrant artistic landscape of 19th-century France. A prolific painter, and more notably, a master lithographer and illustrator, Devéria captured the essence of the Romantic era, particularly through his insightful portraits of its leading cultural figures. His work provides a rich visual chronicle of a transformative period in French art and society, blending technical finesse with a keen sensitivity to the prevailing moods and fashions of his time.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Born in Paris, Achille Devéria was immersed in an environment that would nurture his artistic talents. His father held a civilian post in the French Navy. From a young age, Achille displayed a precocious aptitude for drawing. He, along with his younger brother Eugène Devéria, who would also become a notable Romantic painter, received formal artistic training. Achille studied under Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson, a prominent painter known for his distinctive style that bridged Neoclassicism and emerging Romanticism, and Louis Lafitte, a painter and designer. This early exposure to established masters provided him with a solid technical foundation upon which he would build his distinct artistic voice.
Devéria's formative years coincided with a period of immense cultural and political ferment in France. The Napoleonic era had concluded, and the Bourbon Restoration was underway, soon to be followed by the July Monarchy. This was an age of burgeoning individualism, emotional expression, and a fascination with history, literature, and the exotic – all hallmarks of the Romantic movement that would profoundly shape Devéria's career.
Rise to Prominence: The Portraitist of an Era
Achille Devéria made his public debut at the Paris Salon of 1822, exhibiting a religious painting, The Virgin and Child. While he continued to produce paintings, including religious subjects and historical scenes, it was his skill as a portraitist, particularly in the medium of lithography, that quickly brought him widespread recognition. His Parisian studio became a fashionable meeting place for artists, writers, musicians, and actors, the very luminaries whose likenesses he so adeptly captured.
His portraits were not mere academic renderings; they possessed an intimacy and psychological depth that resonated with the Romantic sensibility. Devéria had an uncanny ability to convey the personality and spirit of his sitters. Among the celebrated figures immortalized by his hand were literary giants such as Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas père, Alfred de Musset, Prosper Mérimée, and François-René de Chateaubriand. He also portrayed renowned musicians like Franz Liszt and Niccolò Paganini, and the famed ballerina Marie Taglioni. These portraits, often executed as lithographs, were widely disseminated, making Devéria a key visual chronicler of his generation's cultural elite. The poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire later praised Devéria's portraits, recognizing their power to encapsulate "the moral and aesthetic epitome of their time."
Mastery of Lithography
Lithography, a relatively new printmaking technique invented in the late 18th century by Alois Senefelder, gained immense popularity in the early 19th century for its ability to produce multiple copies with a high degree of tonal subtlety, closely mimicking the qualities of drawing. Achille Devéria embraced this medium with enthusiasm and became one of its most accomplished practitioners. His output in lithography was prodigious, numbering in the thousands.
His lithographs covered a wide array of subjects. Beyond portraits, he produced charming genre scenes depicting contemporary Parisian life, elegant fashion plates that documented the evolving styles of the era, and illustrations for books and periodicals. Works like his series Costumes historiques de ville ou de théâtre et travestissements (Historical Costumes of Town or Theatre and Disguises) showcased his meticulous attention to detail and his interest in historical attire. He often collaborated with his father-in-law, the printer and publisher Charles-Etienne Motte, who issued many of his prints, ensuring their broad circulation. His technical skill allowed for delicate gradations of tone, rich blacks, and a fluid, expressive line that perfectly suited the Romantic aesthetic.
Illustrations and Literary Connections
Devéria's talents as an illustrator were highly sought after. He provided illustrations for numerous literary works, bringing to visual life the narratives of contemporary and classic authors. One of his most notable achievements in this field was his series of lithographs for a French edition of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. These images captured the dramatic intensity and philosophical depth of Goethe's masterpiece, demonstrating Devéria's ability to interpret complex literary themes visually. His work in this area placed him in the company of other great Romantic illustrators like Eugène Delacroix, who also famously illustrated Faust.
His close connections with the literary world meant that his illustrations were often informed by a deep understanding of the texts. He worked on editions of works by Voltaire, Jean de La Fontaine, and Sir Walter Scott, among others. These illustrations not only enhanced the books they accompanied but also stood as independent works of art, admired for their compositional skill and evocative power.
The Erotic and the Sentimental
A significant, and at times controversial, aspect of Achille Devéria's oeuvre was his production of erotic and sentimental prints. He created numerous lithographs and etchings depicting intimate boudoir scenes, amorous encounters, and figures in various states of undress. Works such as the series Les Soirées lubriques (The Lustful Evenings) were explicitly erotic and catered to a private market for such imagery. These pieces, often characterized by a playful and sensuous quality, reflected a libertine undercurrent present in 19th-century French society.
While some contemporary critics and later commentators found these works to be "indecent" or "immoral," they also demonstrate Devéria's versatility and his engagement with a broader range of human experience. Alongside these more risqué subjects, he also produced many sentimental scenes, depicting tender family moments, romantic reveries, and pious subjects, appealing to the bourgeois tastes of the period. This duality – the capacity to create both the sacred and the profane, the public and the private – is a fascinating aspect of his artistic personality.
The Influence of Romanticism and Contemporaries
Achille Devéria was deeply embedded in the Romantic movement. His art shared the movement's emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the picturesque. His style, characterized by its elegance, fluidity, and often a touch of melancholy, was perfectly attuned to the Romantic spirit. He was a contemporary of leading Romantic painters such as Eugène Delacroix and Théodore Géricault, whose dramatic compositions and passionate subject matter defined the era. While Devéria's work was generally less monumental and overtly dramatic than theirs, he shared their commitment to expressive freedom.
His brother, Eugène Devéria, was also a prominent Romantic painter, known for historical paintings like The Birth of Henry IV (1827), which was a Salon success. The brothers often collaborated and even ran an art school together for a period. Achille also interacted with other prominent printmakers of the day, such as Honoré Daumier and Paul Gavarni, who were renowned for their satirical and social commentary in lithography. Devéria's work, however, tended to focus more on the elegant and the intimate rather than overt social critique. He was also associated with the satirical journal La Caricature, founded by Charles Philipon, which featured works by many leading graphic artists.
His circle included not only artists but also influential figures from other fields. For instance, he was acquainted with Auguste Degas, the father of the Impressionist painter Edgar Degas. It is recorded that Achille Devéria kindly allowed the young Edgar Degas to copy Old Master paintings from his collection, including works attributed to artists like Rembrandt, Tintoretto, Jacob van Ruisdael (or possibly Meindert Hobbema), and Francisco Goya, which would have been an invaluable learning experience for the budding artist.
Later Career and Institutional Roles
In 1849, a significant shift occurred in Devéria's career when he was appointed Director of the Department of Prints (Cabinet des Estampes) at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (then the Bibliothèque Impériale). This prestigious position recognized his profound knowledge of printmaking and his contributions to the field. He dedicated himself to organizing and expanding the national collection of prints.
Later, he also took on the role of assistant curator of the Egyptian department at the Musée du Louvre. This interest in Egyptology led him to travel to Egypt in 1857. Unfortunately, his health declined during this journey, and he passed away in Egypt on December 23, 1857, at the age of 57. His son, Théodule Devéria, would go on to become a noted Egyptologist, perhaps influenced by his father's later interests.
Artistic Style: Elegance and Intimacy
Achille Devéria's artistic style is characterized by its elegance, refinement, and a remarkable sensitivity to his subjects. In his portraits, he moved beyond mere likeness to capture the sitter's character and mood, often imbuing them with a Romantic aura of introspection or creative intensity. His line is fluid and graceful, and his use of chiaroscuro, particularly in his lithographs, is masterful, creating subtle modeling and a sense of atmosphere.
His compositions are typically well-balanced and uncluttered, focusing attention on the figure. Even in his more elaborate fashion plates or historical scenes, there is a clarity and precision that is appealing. While influenced by the academic training he received from Girodet, Devéria's style evolved to embrace the greater freedom and expressiveness of Romanticism. He avoided the grandiosity of some of his contemporaries, preferring a more intimate and personal mode of expression. His color palette in his paintings and watercolors was often delicate and harmonious.
Legacy and Critical Reception
Achille Devéria's legacy is multifaceted. He is remembered primarily as one of the foremost lithographers of the Romantic era and a brilliant portraitist who created an invaluable visual record of its leading personalities. His prints were widely influential and helped to popularize lithography as an artistic medium. His fashion plates and genre scenes offer a charming glimpse into the social customs and aesthetics of his time.
Critical reception of Devéria's work has varied. During his lifetime, he enjoyed considerable popularity, especially for his portraits and illustrations. Baudelaire's admiration is a testament to the impact he had on his contemporaries. However, some later critics, perhaps comparing him to the more overtly revolutionary figures of Romanticism like Delacroix or Géricault, or the biting social satire of Daumier, sometimes found his work to be overly charming or decorative, lacking in profound depth. His erotic works, while popular in certain circles, also drew criticism for their perceived immorality.
Despite these varying assessments, Devéria's artistic skill and historical importance are undeniable. His works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, the British Museum in London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His prints continue to be sought after by collectors.
In recent decades, there has been a renewed appreciation for his contribution to 19th-century art. Art historians recognize the technical brilliance of his lithographs, the psychological acuity of his portraits, and the value of his work as a document of Romantic culture. He captured a specific facet of the Romantic spirit – its elegance, its intimacy, and its fascination with the individual. Artists like Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a contemporary though stylistically different, also excelled in portraiture, but Devéria's approach, particularly in lithography, offered a more accessible and widely disseminated vision of his subjects.
Conclusion
Achille Jacques Jean Marie Devéria was an artist perfectly attuned to his time. He navigated the currents of Romanticism with skill and sensitivity, creating a body of work that is both aesthetically pleasing and historically significant. As a painter, and especially as a lithographer and illustrator, he left an indelible mark on French art of the 19th century. His portraits provide an intimate gallery of the men and women who shaped the Romantic era, while his genre scenes and illustrations offer a window into its cultural preoccupations. From the salons of Parisian society to the private boudoirs he depicted, Devéria's art captured the multifaceted spirit of an age of profound change and artistic innovation, securing his place as a distinctive and important voice in the history of art.
