François Simonau (26 May 1783 – 26 November 1859) was a painter, born in what is now Belgium, who made his career in London. He was the teacher, and later stepfather, of Emma Soyer.
Simonau was born in Bornhem, a town now in the Belgian province of Antwerp, on 26 May 1783. He studied in Bruges (with either Robert Frickx or Bernard Friex, according to different sources)[1][2] and between 1808 and 1812 was a pupil of Antoine-Jean Gros in Paris.[1] In 1815 he settled in London together with his brother Pierre.[3] The latter established a successful lithographic business; François concentrated on portrait-painting, with the help of Sir Thomas Lawrence, who introduced him to London society.[1][3] He prospered, and exhibited at the Royal Academy and the British Institution from 1818.[2]
Simonau supplemented his commissions with a small but flourishing art school in Commercial Road, east of the City of London. Among his pupils was Emma Jones. In 1818 her mother, Elizabeth Jones, a wealthy widow, offered Simonau sufficient financial inducement to drop his other students and concentrate entirely on her daughter. In 1820 Simonau and Elizabeth Jones were married. They settled in Greek Street, Soho, with Emma and her brother Newton.[4]
In 1835 the chef Alexis Soyer asked Simonau to paint his portrait; Simoneau delegated the task to his stepdaughter. Soyer fell in love with her, she soon reciprocated, and to Simonau's chagrin – "a mere cook!" – they married in 1837.[5] After Elizabeth Simonau died in 1839 Simonau went to live with the Soyers at their flat in Charing Cross Road.[6]
Simonau outlived his stepdaughter and her husband, and in his last years was in reduced circumstances. Lord Palmerston arranged a pension for him.[7] He died on 26 November 1859; as he had wished, he was buried at Kensal Green cemetery alongside his stepdaughter and her husband.[7]
Worksedit
According to Grove Art Online, the neo-classical style was predominant in painting in Belgium in Simonau's early years, but he distanced himself from it, partly because of his training with Gros in Paris and partly under the influence of the art of his adopted country:
He adopted the broad technique and the specific colouring of English portrait painters. His virtuosity increased in the works of his maturity, which were particularly exuberant in their handling.[1]
Léonce Bénédite, in La peinture au 19iéme siècle (1909) wrote:
In the Museum of Brussels there is a portrait [by Simonau] of a man, a strong, impasto painting, with the warm colours and the beautiful dazzling whites of Reynolds, and above all the excellent work "The Organ Player", dated 1828, robust, frank, beautifully painted, reminiscent of Franz Hals.[8]
Bénédite added that it was perhaps to Gros that Simonau owes the warmth of his colour.[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcdValcke, Sibylle "Simonau family", Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 2003. (subscription required)
Bénédite, Léonce (1909). La peinture au 19iéme siècle. Paris: Flammarion. OCLC 697946533.
Cowen, Ruth (2006). Relish: The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer, Victorian Celebrity Chef. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN978-0-297-64562-7.
Zeiger-Viallet, Henri; Jacques Busse (2010). Benezit Dictionary of Artists. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-977378-7.
March 14, 2024
françois, simonau, 1783, november, 1859, painter, born, what, belgium, made, career, london, teacher, later, stepfather, emma, soyer, born, 1783, 1783bornhem, belgiumdied26, november, 1859, 1859, aged, london, occupationpainterthree, portraits, simonau, organ,. Francois Simonau 26 May 1783 26 November 1859 was a painter born in what is now Belgium who made his career in London He was the teacher and later stepfather of Emma Soyer Francois SimonauBornFrancois Simonau 1783 05 26 26 May 1783Bornhem BelgiumDied26 November 1859 1859 11 26 aged 76 London U K OccupationPainterThree portraits by Simonau The Organ Player Fanny CerritoPortrait of an unnamed man Contents 1 Life and career 2 Works 2 1 References 2 2 SourcesLife and career editSimonau was born in Bornhem a town now in the Belgian province of Antwerp on 26 May 1783 He studied in Bruges with either Robert Frickx or Bernard Friex according to different sources 1 2 and between 1808 and 1812 was a pupil of Antoine Jean Gros in Paris 1 In 1815 he settled in London together with his brother Pierre 3 The latter established a successful lithographic business Francois concentrated on portrait painting with the help of Sir Thomas Lawrence who introduced him to London society 1 3 He prospered and exhibited at the Royal Academy and the British Institution from 1818 2 Simonau supplemented his commissions with a small but flourishing art school in Commercial Road east of the City of London Among his pupils was Emma Jones In 1818 her mother Elizabeth Jones a wealthy widow offered Simonau sufficient financial inducement to drop his other students and concentrate entirely on her daughter In 1820 Simonau and Elizabeth Jones were married They settled in Greek Street Soho with Emma and her brother Newton 4 In 1835 the chef Alexis Soyer asked Simonau to paint his portrait Simoneau delegated the task to his stepdaughter Soyer fell in love with her she soon reciprocated and to Simonau s chagrin a mere cook they married in 1837 5 After Elizabeth Simonau died in 1839 Simonau went to live with the Soyers at their flat in Charing Cross Road 6 Simonau outlived his stepdaughter and her husband and in his last years was in reduced circumstances Lord Palmerston arranged a pension for him 7 He died on 26 November 1859 as he had wished he was buried at Kensal Green cemetery alongside his stepdaughter and her husband 7 Works editAccording to Grove Art Online the neo classical style was predominant in painting in Belgium in Simonau s early years but he distanced himself from it partly because of his training with Gros in Paris and partly under the influence of the art of his adopted country He adopted the broad technique and the specific colouring of English portrait painters His virtuosity increased in the works of his maturity which were particularly exuberant in their handling 1 Leonce Benedite in La peinture au 19ieme siecle 1909 wrote In the Museum of Brussels there is a portrait by Simonau of a man a strong impasto painting with the warm colours and the beautiful dazzling whites of Reynolds and above all the excellent work The Organ Player dated 1828 robust frank beautifully painted reminiscent of Franz Hals 8 Benedite added that it was perhaps to Gros that Simonau owes the warmth of his colour 8 References edit a b c d Valcke Sibylle Simonau family Grove Art Online Oxford University Press 2003 subscription required a b Zeiger Viallet and Busse p 1240 a b Cowen p 26 Cowen pp 52 53 Cowen pp 18 and 27 28 Cowen p 55 a b Death of M Francois Simonau Bell s Weekly Messenger 19 December 1859 p 5 a b Benedite p 282 Sources edit Benedite Leonce 1909 La peinture au 19ieme siecle Paris Flammarion OCLC 697946533 Cowen Ruth 2006 Relish The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer Victorian Celebrity Chef London Weidenfeld and Nicolson ISBN 978 0 297 64562 7 Zeiger Viallet Henri Jacques Busse 2010 Benezit Dictionary of Artists Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 977378 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francois Simonau amp oldid 1202114132, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
