Jean-Pierre Houël stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in late 18th and early 19th-century French art. A painter, draughtsman, and engraver, he navigated a period of profound social, political, and artistic transformation. His meticulous eye for detail, combined with a burgeoning Romantic sensibility, allowed him to capture both the enduring beauty of ancient landscapes and the ephemeral, violent energy of revolutionary upheaval. His extensive travels, particularly in Italy and Sicily, yielded a rich body of work that serves as an invaluable historical and artistic record.
Early Life and Artistic Formation in Rouen
Jean-Pierre Louis Laurent Houël was born on June 28, 1735, in Rouen, Normandy, into a family of prosperous artisans, which likely provided him with a degree of financial stability and an appreciation for skilled craftsmanship from an early age. His artistic inclinations manifested early, and by the age of fifteen, he was enrolled in Rouen's public school of drawing (École de Dessin). Here, he studied under the tutelage of Jean-Baptiste Descamps, a painter and writer known for his biographical works on Flemish, German, and Dutch painters, such as La Vie des Peintres Flamands, Allemands et Hollandois.
Descamps's own artistic leanings and his scholarly interest in Northern European art undoubtedly influenced the young Houël. The Dutch and Flemish masters, with their meticulous attention to detail, their mastery of light, and their focus on landscape and genre scenes, would have provided a strong counterpoint to the prevailing Rococo style then popular in Paris, championed by artists like François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard. This early grounding in a more naturalistic tradition likely shaped Houël's later approach to landscape painting, emphasizing observation and topographical accuracy.
After his initial training in Rouen, Houël moved to Paris to further his studies and career. He gained recognition as a talented engraver, a skill that would prove crucial for the dissemination of his work, particularly his later travelogues. Engraving required precision and a keen understanding of line and tone, qualities that are evident even in his painted works.
The Parisian Scene and Early Career
In Paris, Houël immersed himself in the vibrant artistic and intellectual milieu of the mid-18th century. This was the age of Enlightenment, and salons, such as the famous one hosted by Madame Geoffrin, were crucial meeting places for artists, writers, and philosophers. Houël is known to have frequented such circles, where he would have encountered leading thinkers like Denis Diderot, Jean le Rond d'Alembert, and Jean-François Marmontel. Interaction with these figures, who championed reason, observation, and the pursuit of knowledge, would have resonated with Houël's own meticulous approach to art.
Among the artists he associated with were established figures like François Boucher, whose Rococo style was then at its zenith, Carle Van Loo, another prominent Rococo painter, and Joseph-Marie Vien, who was a key figure in the transition towards Neoclassicism. He also formed a significant professional and personal relationship with François-André Vincent, a prominent Neoclassical painter who was a contemporary and rival of Jacques-Louis David. Indeed, Vincent painted a notable portrait of Houël in 1772, a testament to their connection, which is now housed in the Musée du Louvre (formerly in the Musée du Luxembourg). This portrait depicts Houël with an air of thoughtful intelligence, hinting at the keen observer he was.
During this period, Houël continued to develop his skills as a landscape painter and engraver. He produced various works, including a set of six landscape views engraved in 1758. His talent did not go unnoticed, and he attracted the patronage of influential figures, including the Duc de Choiseul, a leading statesman. This patronage was vital for artists of the time, providing financial support and access to important commissions.
The Grand Tour and Italian Sojourn
The allure of Italy, with its classical ruins, Renaissance masterpieces, and dramatic landscapes, was irresistible for artists of the 18th century. The Grand Tour was a rite of passage for many, and for an artist like Houël, it offered an unparalleled opportunity for study and inspiration. In 1769, thanks to the support of his patrons, Houël embarked on his first journey to Italy. He spent time in Rome, studying at the French Academy in Rome, then under the directorship of painters like Charles-Joseph Natoire and later Joseph-Marie Vien. The Academy was a hub for French artists, providing a structured environment for studying classical antiquity and Italian art.
During his time in Rome, Houël would have encountered the works of earlier Italian landscape masters like Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin (though French, their careers were made in Italy), as well as contemporary Italian view painters (vedutisti) such as Giovanni Paolo Panini, known for his depictions of Roman ruins and festivals, and perhaps the powerful etchings of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, whose dramatic renderings of Roman antiquities had a profound impact on the European imagination. He honed his skills in depicting architecture and landscape, often working in gouache, a type of opaque watercolor that allowed for rich color and fine detail.
His initial stay in Italy lasted until 1772. However, the most significant part of his Italian experience was yet to come. In 1776, he secured royal funding, with the support of the Comte d'Angiviller, the Director-General of the Bâtiments du Roi, for a more ambitious project: an extensive tour of Sicily, Lipari, and Malta. The purpose was to document the landscapes, ancient monuments, and local customs of these less-traveled regions.
The Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari
Houël embarked on this Sicilian expedition in 1776, originally planning to stay for a year. However, captivated by the richness of the island, he extended his stay to nearly four years, returning to Paris in 1779. This period was intensely productive. He traveled extensively, often under challenging conditions, sketching and painting everything from classical temples and theaters to volcanic eruptions and local peasant life. His approach was almost encyclopedic, combining artistic representation with scientific and antiquarian curiosity.
He meticulously documented famous sites such as the ancient Greek temples at Segesta and Agrigento, the theater at Taormina, and the quarries of Syracuse, including the famous "Ear of Dionysius." His depictions of Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, were particularly striking, capturing its sublime and terrifying power. He climbed the volcano multiple times to observe its eruptions and geological formations. These works show a sensitivity to the forces of nature that prefigures the concerns of later Romantic painters like J.M.W. Turner or Caspar David Friedrich, albeit with a more Enlightenment-era focus on empirical observation.
Upon his return to Paris, Houël began the monumental task of translating his hundreds of sketches and gouaches into a published work. The result was the Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari, published in four folio volumes between 1782 and 1787. This lavish publication featured 264 aquatint plates, engraved by Houël himself based on his original drawings. The accompanying text provided historical, geographical, and cultural commentary. The Voyage Pittoresque was a significant achievement, contributing to the burgeoning European interest in picturesque travel and the study of classical antiquity. It stands alongside other great illustrated travelogues of the era, such as those by artists like Richard de Saint-Non, who also published a Voyage pittoresque ou Description des royaumes de Naples et de Sicile.
Houël's Sicilian works are characterized by their clarity, precision, and luminous color. While he aimed for topographical accuracy, he also imbued his scenes with a sense of atmosphere and often included figures that animated the landscapes and provided a sense of scale. His work provided invaluable visual information about sites that were, at the time, relatively unknown to the wider European public. Many of his original gouaches for the Voyage Pittoresque are now preserved in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, having been acquired by Catherine the Great.
Artistic Style and Techniques
Jean-Pierre Houël's artistic style evolved throughout his career but consistently demonstrated a strong foundation in draughtsmanship and a keen observational skill. His early exposure to Dutch and Flemish art instilled in him a respect for naturalism and detailed rendering. While he was aware of the flamboyant Rococo style of artists like Boucher and Fragonard, his own inclinations leaned towards a more restrained and objective representation, particularly in his landscape and architectural work.
His preferred medium for finished works, especially those from his Italian and Sicilian travels, was gouache on paper. Gouache, being an opaque watercolor, allowed him to achieve rich, vibrant colors and to build up layers, creating effects similar to oil painting but with the portability suitable for a traveling artist. His technique was meticulous, with fine brushwork capturing intricate details of foliage, rock formations, and architectural ornamentation.
As an engraver, Houël mastered various techniques, including etching and aquatint. Aquatint was particularly well-suited for reproducing the tonal variations of his wash drawings and gouaches, allowing for subtle gradations of light and shadow that enhanced the atmospheric quality of his landscapes. His skill in this medium was crucial for the success of the Voyage Pittoresque.
While often described as a Neoclassical artist due to his focus on classical antiquity and his period of activity, Houël's work also exhibits proto-Romantic tendencies. His fascination with the sublime aspects of nature, such as volcanic eruptions or rugged coastlines, and his interest in the picturesque – the aesthetically pleasing irregularity and variety found in nature and ruins – align him with the burgeoning Romantic sensibilities of the late 18th century. He was less concerned with the idealized, heroic narratives of high Neoclassicism, as practiced by Jacques-Louis David, and more focused on the direct experience and documentation of the world around him. His contemporaries in landscape, such as Hubert Robert, famous for his romanticized depictions of ruins, or Claude-Joseph Vernet, renowned for his dramatic seascapes and landscapes, shared some of these sensibilities, each interpreting the Italianate landscape through their unique artistic lenses.
The French Revolution and The Storming of the Bastille
The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 profoundly impacted all aspects of French society, including the art world. Houël, who was in Paris at the time, became an eyewitness to some of its most dramatic events. His most famous work from this period is undoubtedly The Storming of the Bastille (Prise de la Bastille), a gouache painting created in 1789.
This iconic image depicts the events of July 14, 1789, when revolutionary crowds attacked the Bastille, a medieval fortress and prison in Paris that had come to symbolize royal tyranny. Houël’s depiction is not a grand, idealized history painting in the manner of David, but rather a vivid, almost journalistic account. He captures the chaotic energy of the scene, with smoke billowing from the fortress, cannons firing, and a throng of armed citizens swarming the drawbridge. The perspective is slightly elevated, giving a panoramic view of the action, and the details, such as the tricolor flags and the varied attire of the revolutionaries, lend an air of authenticity.
Houël’s Storming of the Bastille quickly became one of the defining images of the Revolution. Its relatively small scale and the use of gouache suggest it may have been intended for reproduction as an engraving, to be widely disseminated. The work demonstrates his ability to adapt his skills as a landscape and architectural artist to capture a momentous historical event. It is a powerful piece of visual reportage, conveying the intensity and significance of the day. This work is now in the collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
The Revolution brought significant changes to the art world. The old system of royal patronage, embodied by institutions like the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, was dismantled. Artists had to find new ways to support themselves and new themes that resonated with the revolutionary spirit. While Houël was not a political propagandist in the way David became, his depiction of the Bastille aligned with the patriotic fervor of the early Revolution.
Later Years, Other Works, and Legacy
After the initial turmoil of the Revolution, Houël continued to work, though perhaps with less prominence than in his earlier years. He produced other works related to contemporary events and continued his interest in natural history. For instance, he published works on elephants, including Histoire naturelle des deux éléphants, mâle et femelle, du Muséum de Paris (1801-1803), showcasing his continued dedication to detailed observation and illustration, a skill honed during his Sicilian travels.
His artistic output in the later years also included landscapes and genre scenes. He exhibited at the Paris Salon, the official art exhibition, though less frequently than some of his contemporaries. The artistic landscape was changing rapidly, with Neoclassicism giving way to Romanticism, and new generations of artists emerging. Figures like Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes were formalizing the theory and practice of landscape painting, and younger artists like Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a student of David, were pushing Neoclassicism in new directions, while Théodore Géricault was heralding the dramatic force of Romanticism.
Jean-Pierre Houël passed away in Paris on November 14, 1813, at the age of 78. He left behind a substantial body of work, particularly his drawings, gouaches, and engravings. His legacy rests primarily on two major achievements: the Voyage pittoresque des isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari and his depiction of The Storming of the Bastille.
The Voyage Pittoresque remains an invaluable resource for historians, archaeologists, and art historians studying Sicily and Malta in the 18th century. His meticulous renderings provide a visual record of monuments and landscapes, some of which have since been altered or destroyed. It also stands as a testament to the Enlightenment spirit of inquiry and the burgeoning interest in picturesque travel. His work influenced other travel illustrators and contributed to the romantic perception of Southern Italy.
The Storming of the Bastille has endured as one of the most recognizable images of the French Revolution, reproduced in countless history books. Its power lies in its immediacy and its ability to convey the popular energy that fueled the revolutionary uprising.
While Houël may not have achieved the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries like Jacques-Louis David or Jean-Honoré Fragonard, his contributions are significant. He was a master of gouache and aquatint, a dedicated observer of nature and antiquity, and a chronicler of his times. His work bridges the gap between the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and empirical study and Romanticism's fascination with the sublime and the picturesque. His engagement with other artists, from his teacher Descamps to his friend Vincent, and his place within the intellectual circles of Paris, including figures like Diderot, situate him firmly within the rich artistic tapestry of 18th-century France. Other artists of his era, such as the landscape painter Pierre-Antoine Demachy, known for his Parisian cityscapes and ruins, or the engraver Charles-Nicolas Cochin, who also documented courtly life and public events, further illustrate the diverse artistic production of the period in which Houël thrived.
Conclusion
Jean-Pierre Houël was an artist of remarkable diligence and diverse talents. From the drawing schools of Rouen to the intellectual salons of Paris, and from the classical ruins of Rome to the volcanic landscapes of Sicily, he pursued his art with a dedication to observation and a sensitivity to the world around him. His Voyage Pittoresque is a monumental achievement of artistic and scientific documentation, offering a unique window into the Mediterranean world of the late 18th century. His depiction of The Storming of the Bastille captured a pivotal moment in history with a vividness that continues to resonate. As a painter, draughtsman, and engraver, Houël left an indelible mark, chronicling the beauty of the natural and ancient worlds alongside the dramatic unfolding of human events, securing his place as an important visual historian of a transformative age. His work continues to be studied and appreciated for its artistic merit, its historical significance, and its embodiment of the intellectual and cultural currents of his time.
