The Parisian art world of the late 18th and 19th centuries was a vibrant, evolving landscape, witnessing the grand pronouncements of Neoclassicism give way to the passionate stirrings of Romanticism and the eventual rise of Realism. Within this dynamic milieu, figures like Alexis Nicolas Pérignon carved out their careers, contributing not only through their own artistic creations but also through their expertise and engagement with the burgeoning art market. While the name Alexis Nicolas Pérignon appears in records associated with slightly different timelines, suggesting perhaps a familial artistic lineage, this exploration will focus primarily on the Alexis Nicolas Pérignon documented as active in the 19th century, while also acknowledging an earlier namesake whose activities in the late 18th century are also recorded.
Unraveling the Identity: Two Artists of Note?
Art historical records can sometimes present challenges when names and even professions repeat across generations. The information available points to an Alexis Nicolas Pérignon born in 1785 and passing in 1864. This artist is noted as a French painter and, significantly, as a member of the expert committee for the Royal Museums. His role involved the critical assessment of artworks, including a number of paintings by the celebrated pastellist Maurice Quentin de La Tour. This Pérignon was also active in the Parisian art market, participating in important auction activities involving the collections of notable figures such as the collector Constantin, the influential arts administrator Dominique Vivant Denon, and even the renowned Neoclassical master Jacques-Louis David.
However, there are also references to an Alexis Nicolas Pérignon active earlier, with some sources suggesting birth years like 1726 (died 1782) or 1758 (died 1832). This earlier figure is described as a painter of landscapes and marine scenes, working in oil and pastel, and exhibiting at the prestigious Paris Salon in 1775, 1779, and 1781. Works such as "Vue du château de la petiteville de Rheinheim" (1780), "Vue de la ville d'Arbon" (1780), "Landscape with Figures and Carriage" (1776), and floral still lifes like "Bouquet d'oeillets" and "Bouquet de roses et d'oeillets au papillon" (both 1758) are attributed to this earlier period. It is plausible that this was an older relative, perhaps a father or uncle, whose artistic endeavors paved the way for or influenced the younger Pérignon. For clarity, we will refer to the artist active in the Salons of the 1770s as Pérignon the Elder, and the one active into the mid-19th century as Pérignon the Younger.
Pérignon the Younger: Birth, Training, and Artistic Milieu
Alexis Nicolas Pérignon (1785-1864), often referred to as Pérignon the Younger in this context, is recorded as having been born in Nancy, a city with a rich artistic and cultural heritage in the Lorraine region of France. He primarily based his career in Paris, the undisputed center of the European art world. The artistic environment he would have entered was one of profound transition. The dominant Neoclassicism, championed by figures like Jacques-Louis David and his student Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, emphasized order, reason, and classical antiquity. However, the seeds of Romanticism, with its focus on emotion, individualism, and the sublime power of nature, were already taking root, soon to blossom in the works of artists like Théodore Géricault and Eugène Delacroix.
While specific details of Pérignon the Younger's formal training are not extensively documented in the provided snippets, it is typical for artists of this era to have studied under established masters or at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His development as a painter of landscapes and marine scenes suggests an affinity for observing and interpreting the natural world, a pursuit that was gaining increasing traction and would eventually lead to movements like the Barbizon School.
The Artistic Output of Pérignon the Younger
Pérignon the Younger is described as a painter of landscapes and seascapes, utilizing both oil and pastel techniques. One specific work attributed to him and held in a significant public collection is "The Potager of the Château de Valentinosis," which is part of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. The term "potager" refers to a kitchen garden, often laid out with an ornamental quality. Such a subject suggests an interest in cultivated landscapes and perhaps the picturesque, a popular aesthetic sensibility of the time that found beauty in rustic scenes and the harmonious integration of human activity with nature.
His work in pastels connects him to a tradition that had seen a golden age in the 18th century with artists like Maurice Quentin de La Tour and Jean-Baptiste Perronneau. While oil painting remained the dominant medium for ambitious works, pastels offered a vibrancy and immediacy that was well-suited to capturing fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, particularly beneficial for landscape and portraiture. His marine paintings would have placed him in a lineage that included earlier masters like Claude-Joseph Vernet, who was immensely popular for his dramatic seascapes and port scenes, and later specialists who captured the evolving relationship between humanity and the sea.
An Expert Eye: Pérignon and the Royal Museums
Beyond his own artistic practice, Alexis Nicolas Pérignon (1785-1864) held a position of considerable trust and responsibility as a member of the expert committee for the Royal Museums. This role would have involved authenticating, attributing, and evaluating artworks, a critical function for maintaining the integrity and quality of national collections. His specific task of reporting on paintings by Maurice Quentin de La Tour is noteworthy. La Tour was one of the preeminent portrait pastellists of the 18th century, and his works were highly valued. Ensuring their proper attribution and condition would have required a keen eye and deep knowledge of 18th-century techniques and styles.
This expertise also extended to the art market. His involvement in auctions featuring works from the collections of Constantin, Dominique Vivant Denon, and Jacques-Louis David underscores his standing in the Parisian art world. Denon, in particular, was a towering figure, an artist, diplomat, and the first director of the Musée Napoléon (later the Louvre). The dispersal of David's studio or collection would have been a major event, attracting significant attention. Pérignon's participation suggests he was a recognized authority whose opinion was sought after in the valuation and sale of important artworks. Such roles were crucial in a period where connoisseurship was becoming increasingly professionalized.
The Parisian Art Scene: Contemporaries and Influences
The period of Pérignon the Younger's activity (roughly the first half of the 19th century) was rich with artistic talent and shifting aesthetic currents. While he focused on landscape and marine subjects, the broader art world was animated by debates between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Artists like Ingres continued to uphold the classical tradition, while Delacroix became the leading figure of French Romantic painting, known for his dramatic compositions and vibrant color.
In landscape painting, the influence of earlier masters such as Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin, with their idealized visions of nature, was still felt. However, a move towards more direct observation of nature was underway. This trend would culminate in the Barbizon School, active from the 1830s. Painters like Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Théodore Rousseau, Jean-François Millet, and Charles-François Daubigny sought to capture the French countryside with greater naturalism, often painting en plein air (outdoors) to record the effects of light and atmosphere more accurately. While Pérignon's specific relationship to the Barbizon painters is not detailed, his dedication to landscape suggests he was part of this broader current of increasing interest in the genre. Other notable landscape and genre painters of the era included Constant Troyon, known for his animal paintings, and Narcisse Virgilio Díaz de la Peña, associated with the Barbizon group.
The art market itself was becoming more structured, with influential dealers like Paul Durand-Ruel (though he rose to prominence slightly later, championing the Impressionists) beginning to shape artistic careers. The annual Paris Salon remained the primary venue for artists to exhibit their work and gain recognition, but its juried system often led to controversy and the eventual formation of alternative exhibition societies.
The Legacy of Pérignon the Elder
To fully appreciate the context, it's important to revisit the contributions of the artist we've termed Pérignon the Elder (active c. 1750s-1780s). His participation in the Paris Salons of 1775, 1779, and 1781 indicates a degree of professional recognition during his lifetime. The Salon was the most important art exhibition in the Western world, and acceptance into it was a significant achievement.
His documented works from this period provide insight into his artistic concerns. The engravings "Vue du château de la petiteville de Rheinheim" (1780) and "Vue de la ville d'Arbon" (1780) are topographical views, a popular genre that combined artistic skill with an interest in depicting specific locations accurately. These suggest an artist skilled in detailed rendering and perspective. The "Landscape with Figures and Carriage" (1776), likely a drawing or painting, points to a more traditional form of landscape, perhaps in the vein of Dutch 17th-century painters or French rococo landscape artists like Jean-Honoré Fragonard or François Boucher, who often incorporated charming figural elements.
The floral still lifes from 1758, "Bouquet d'oeillets" and "Bouquet de roses et d'oeillets au papillon," executed in watercolor and possibly oil pastel, connect him to a long tradition of flower painting. This genre was highly appreciated for its decorative qualities and the technical skill required to render delicate textures and vibrant colors. Artists like Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer in the 17th century and later Anne Vallayer-Coster (a contemporary of Pérignon the Elder) excelled in this field. The use of watercolor and pastel for such subjects allowed for a freshness and luminosity.
Artistic Style and Potential Influences
For Pérignon the Younger, his landscape and marine paintings would have drawn from a rich heritage. The Dutch Golden Age landscape painters, such as Jacob van Ruisdael and Meindert Hobbema, had a lasting impact on European landscape art with their naturalistic depictions of local scenery. The classical tradition of Claude Lorrain, with his idealized landscapes bathed in golden light, also remained a powerful influence.
In France, the 18th century saw a flourishing of landscape art, from the rococo fantasies of Boucher to the more realistic and often dramatic coastal scenes of Claude-Joseph Vernet. By the early 19th century, English landscape painters like John Constable and J.M.W. Turner were also making significant innovations, emphasizing direct observation and the expressive power of nature, and their influence began to cross the Channel. Pérignon's work would have been situated within this evolving understanding of landscape, moving from the purely picturesque or idealized towards a greater engagement with the specific character of a place.
His use of pastels for landscapes, as mentioned, was a continuation of a strong French tradition. The medium's ability to capture subtle tonal gradations and atmospheric effects would have been ideal for rendering skies, water, and the changing light of different times of day, concerns that were becoming central to landscape painters.
Evaluating Pérignon's Contribution
Alexis Nicolas Pérignon (1785-1864) emerges as a figure who contributed to the French art world on multiple fronts. As a painter, he specialized in landscapes and marine scenes, genres that were gaining increasing prominence and undergoing significant stylistic evolution during his lifetime. His work "The Potager of the Château de Valentinosis" at the National Gallery of Art provides a tangible example of his output in this area.
Perhaps equally, if not more significant, was his role as an expert and connoisseur. His position with the Royal Museums and his involvement in high-profile auctions highlight his respected judgment and deep knowledge of art. In an era before widespread photographic documentation and scientific analysis, the eye of the expert was paramount in authenticating, attributing, and valuing artworks. Figures like Pérignon played a crucial role in shaping collections, both public and private, and in maintaining the integrity of the art market. His work with the oeuvres of masters like La Tour demonstrates a connection to the rich artistic heritage of the preceding century.
While he may not be as widely known today as some of his more revolutionary contemporaries like Delacroix or Corot, Alexis Nicolas Pérignon's career reflects the diverse ways in which individuals participated in and shaped the art world of 19th-century Paris. He was part of a vital ecosystem of artists, collectors, experts, and institutions that collectively defined the artistic culture of the time. The potential existence of an earlier Alexis Nicolas Pérignon active in the Salons of the late 18th century adds another layer to this story, suggesting a possible family tradition of artistic engagement that spanned a transformative period in French art history. His life and work offer a glimpse into the professional life of an artist and expert navigating the complexities and opportunities of a rapidly changing art world, contributing to its richness through both creation and informed assessment.
