Étienne Jeaurat stands as a significant figure in eighteenth-century French art, a painter whose long career witnessed the flourishing of the Rococo and the dawn of Neoclassicism. Born in Vermenton, near Auxerre, on February 9, 1699, and passing away in Versailles in 1789, just as the French Revolution began to unfold, Jeaurat dedicated his artistic life primarily to history painting and, perhaps more distinctively, to lively genre scenes capturing the essence of Parisian society. His work offers a valuable window into the customs, activities, and atmosphere of France during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Jeaurat's journey into the art world began under challenging circumstances. Orphaned at a young age, his future path was significantly shaped by his elder brother, Edme Jeaurat. Edme, who pursued a career as an engraver, recognized his younger sibling's potential and brought Étienne to Paris. This move proved pivotal, placing the young aspiring artist into the vibrant heart of the French art scene.
In Paris, Étienne was fortunate to be placed under the tutelage of Nicolas Vleughels. Vleughels was not merely a painter but a respected figure within the artistic establishment, known for his historical subjects and later for his directorship of the French Academy in Rome. Studying under Vleughels provided Jeaurat with a solid foundation in academic drawing and painting techniques, essential for any artist aspiring to success within the hierarchical structure of the time, dominated by the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture.
The Influence of Rome
A crucial step in the education of ambitious French artists during this period was a period of study in Italy, particularly Rome. Nicolas Vleughels, appointed Director of the French Academy in Rome in 1724, facilitated this essential experience for his promising student. Jeaurat accompanied Vleughels to Rome that same year, immersing himself in the study of classical antiquity and the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Vleughels encouraged his students, including Jeaurat, to engage in the practice of drawing and painting outdoors (plein air), capturing the landscapes and light of the Roman Campagna. This practice, though focused on landscape, likely honed Jeaurat's skills in observation and capturing immediate impressions, qualities that would later distinguish his Parisian genre scenes. His time in Rome, surrounded by fellow artists and the artistic legacy of centuries, undoubtedly broadened his horizons and refined his technique, preparing him for his return to Paris. While the great innovator Antoine Watteau had passed away a few years prior (1721), his influence lingered, and the artistic environment Jeaurat experienced was rich with diverse talents.
Academic Recognition and the Salon
Upon returning to Paris, Étienne Jeaurat sought recognition from the official art institution, the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. In 1733, he achieved a significant milestone by being accepted as a full member (Agréé and then Reçu). His reception piece, the painting required to demonstrate his mastery, was Pyramus and Thisbe, a subject drawn from Ovid's Metamorphoses, showcasing his skill in the esteemed genre of history painting.
Membership in the Academy was crucial for an artist's career, granting prestige and, importantly, the right to exhibit at the official Paris Salon. Held regularly in the Louvre, the Salon was the primary public venue for artists to display their work, attract patrons, and gain critical attention. Jeaurat became a regular participant, exhibiting his paintings frequently from his debut in 1737 until the year of his death in 1789. His consistent presence at the Salon ensured his visibility within the competitive Parisian art world. Furthermore, his standing within the Academy grew; he was appointed a professor in 1737, contributing to the education of the next generation of artists.
A Career in Royal Service
Jeaurat's career progressed steadily within the established structures of the French art world. Beyond his academic roles, he achieved a position of considerable trust and responsibility. In 1767, he was appointed Garde des Tableaux du Roi (Keeper of the King's Paintings) at Versailles. This prestigious role involved the care, conservation, and management of the royal art collection housed in the palace, placing him at the center of royal patronage and artistic administration.
Some accounts also suggest he attained a very senior administrative role within the Royal Academy, possibly Chancellor (Chancelier), around 1771. Holding such positions indicates the high regard in which Jeaurat was held by both his peers and the royal administration. His long service spanned a period of significant artistic activity, overlapping with the careers of major figures like the premier portraitist Jean-Marc Nattier and the prolific history painter Carle Van Loo.
Jeaurat's Artistic Vision: Style and Themes
Étienne Jeaurat developed a distinctive artistic voice, particularly in his genre paintings. While trained in history painting, his keen eye for observation found fertile ground in depicting the everyday life of Paris. His style leaned towards realism, characterized by clear drawing, attention to detail in clothing and setting, and a narrative clarity. This contrasted somewhat with the more overtly decorative and sensuous Rococo style championed by contemporaries like François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, whose works often focused on mythology, pastoral scenes, or aristocratic leisure.
Jeaurat's approach is often compared to that of Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin, another master of genre painting. However, where Chardin focused on quiet domestic interiors and the dignity of simple objects and tasks, Jeaurat often depicted more bustling, public scenes with a greater emphasis on anecdote and social interaction. His realism was less about intimate contemplation and more about observing the theatre of urban life.
Chronicler of the Parisian Street
Perhaps Jeaurat's most celebrated contributions are his depictions of Parisian street life. He possessed a remarkable ability to capture the energy, chaos, and specific character of the city's public spaces. These works are invaluable historical documents, offering glimpses into the social dynamics, occupations, and environment of eighteenth-century Paris.
A prime example is his painting Expulsion of Prostitutes from the Saint-Bernard Gate (1755). This work is notable for its lively composition, crowded with figures representing various social types – the distressed women being rounded up, the stern officers of the watch, and curious onlookers. Jeaurat doesn't shy away from the grittier aspects of urban existence but presents the scene with a narrative energy and a wealth of observed detail that makes it compelling. Such works demonstrate his skill in orchestrating complex multi-figure compositions and capturing specific moments in time. His focus on urban landscapes offered a different perspective from contemporaries like Joseph Vernet, who specialized in seascapes and idealized landscapes.
Humor and Satire in Genre Painting
Beyond straightforward observation, Jeaurat often infused his genre scenes with humor and gentle satire. He enjoyed depicting scenes that highlighted human foibles, social customs, and the preoccupations of his time. His painting At the Wigmaker's (Chez le perruquier) exemplifies this aspect of his work. It portrays the bustling interior of a wigmaker's shop, a setting central to eighteenth-century fashion and social presentation. The scene likely comments humorously, perhaps even critically, on the era's emphasis on elaborate appearances and the artificiality of courtly life.
This satirical edge has led some art historians to draw comparisons between Jeaurat and the English painter and printmaker William Hogarth. Like Hogarth, Jeaurat used narrative genre scenes to comment on contemporary society. However, Jeaurat's satire tends to be lighter and less overtly moralizing than Hogarth's often biting social critiques, or the later sentimental and moral dramas depicted by his French contemporary Jean-Baptiste Greuze. Jeaurat's humor is typically observational rather than condemnatory.
History Painting
Despite his renown for genre scenes, Étienne Jeaurat remained active as a history painter throughout his career, fulfilling the expectations of the Academy, which held history painting as the highest genre. His reception piece, Pyramus and Thisbe (1733), demonstrated his capabilities in depicting classical subjects with appropriate drama and pathos. Such works required knowledge of literature, classical history, and the human form, adhering to academic conventions of composition and expression.
Another example of his work in this vein is The Marriage of the Virgin (1768), a religious subject treated within the grand tradition. This painting, like others by Jeaurat, was disseminated to a wider audience through engravings, often executed by skilled printmakers like his own brother, Edme Jeaurat. While perhaps less innovative than his genre scenes, his history paintings secured his academic standing alongside other prominent history painters of the era, such as Charles-Joseph Natoire, who also served as Director of the French Academy in Rome after Vleughels.
Exploring Other Subjects and Media
Jeaurat's artistic output extended beyond history and Parisian genre scenes. He occasionally engaged with the popular trend of Orientalism, as seen in works like Favorite Sultana. This painting reflects the eighteenth-century European fascination with the exotic, often romanticized, cultures of the Ottoman Empire and the East, a theme also explored lavishly by artists like Boucher.
He also produced still lifes and animal paintings. While some critical assessments, noted even in the provided source material, suggest these works might not reach the same level of finesse or engagement as his narrative paintings, they demonstrate the breadth of his interests and skills. Furthermore, Jeaurat's influence extended through the medium of printmaking. Engravers, including his brother Edme and others, reproduced his popular compositions, such as the etching L’Économe (The Thrifty Woman), allowing his images to circulate widely and reach a broader public beyond the elite collectors who could afford original paintings.
Connections and Artistic Milieu
Étienne Jeaurat navigated a long career within a rich and evolving artistic landscape. His most formative relationship was undoubtedly with his teacher, Nicolas Vleughels, whose guidance and support were crucial in his early development and his formative experience in Rome. His collaboration with his brother, the engraver Edme Jeaurat, was also significant, helping to popularize his painted compositions through prints.
He worked during a period dominated by major figures of the Rococo like Boucher and Fragonard, yet carved his own path. His observational realism and focus on everyday life align him more closely, though with distinct differences, to Chardin. His satirical inclinations echo Hogarth across the Channel, while his narrative genre scenes offer a contrast to the moralizing works of Greuze. He was a contemporary of portraitists like Nattier, history painters like Van Loo and Natoire, and landscape specialists like Vernet. The mention of contacts like Nicolas Delobel and the writer Jean-Joseph Vadé further situates him within the broader cultural network of his time.
Legacy and Historical Significance
Étienne Jeaurat occupies a specific and valuable place in the history of French art. While perhaps not possessing the transformative impact of Watteau, the decorative brilliance of Boucher, or the profound intimacy of Chardin, he excelled as a keen-eyed observer and chronicler of his time. His paintings, particularly his genre scenes, provide an unparalleled visual record of eighteenth-century Parisian life, capturing its energy, social interactions, and specific locales with detail and vivacity.
His ability to blend observation with narrative, humor, and gentle satire gives his work a unique flavor. He successfully navigated the academic system, achieving significant recognition and holding important administrative posts, demonstrating his standing within the official art world. Spanning the high Rococo to the cusp of the Revolution and the rise of Neoclassicism, his long career provides a bridge across different stylistic moments. He remains important not just for his artistic skill, but as a visual historian of the Age of Enlightenment in France.
Conclusion
Étienne Jeaurat was more than just a painter; he was a visual storyteller of eighteenth-century France. Through his detailed history paintings and, most memorably, his vibrant and observant genre scenes, he captured the spirit of Parisian life. From the grandeur expected by the Academy to the candid moments observed on the city streets or in workshops, Jeaurat's work offers enduring insight into the society, customs, and atmosphere of a pivotal era in French history. His legacy lies in his ability to document his world with clarity, skill, and a distinctively engaging perspective.
