Jean-Leon Jerome: a brief description of some pictures

Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) - French artist and sculptor, who worked in the academic style. He preferred to write, choosing mythological, historical, oriental and religious topics. During his life he enjoyed success, then was for a long time forgotten. Now interest in his works has again revived.

First works

In the Salon of 1847, Jean-Leon Gerome exhibited a work entitled "Young Greeks are looking at the cockfight". She is now in the museum of Orsay. It depicts a naked young man and a girl watching the fights of cocks. According to critics of the time, roosters are depicted more realistically and accurately than the figures of young people. In general, this is a typical picture of a novice artist with certain mistakes. Nevertheless, she was a success with the public and received a medal of the Salon. After 1848, when the republican form of government was established, Jean-Leon Gerome wrote a scandalous picture called "Ginekei". Judging by the way it is called (gineke - closed female half of the house of the Greeks), nothing special should be depicted. In the ancient Greek tradition, women are quiet and downtrodden, and the marriage of the Greeks is monogamous. Jean-Leon Jerome portrayed just a harem with naked female bodies. The plot, which did not correspond to the history and was frankly erotic, was apparently chosen because the public preferred not to think about the works, but only to have fun, looking at them.

The Shepherd, 1857

This picture is interesting for its history and value. She was in the Hermitage. In the prewar years, she was transferred to the Far Eastern Art Museum. There she was exhibited until 1946, until she was stolen. It was a time when her author was completely forgotten. For a long time nothing was known about her.

But now, when Jean-Leon Gerome became a fashionable artist, and the picture has his signature, it surfaced on the black market. In 2016, she was found by members of the Federal Security Service. Police were involved in its seizure. The operation was successfully completed, and Khabarovsk again received this picture, which is currently estimated at about three million US dollars. This speaks only of the fashion in which Jean-Leon Jerome again entered. The picture "Shepherd" does not represent anything special.

"Bonaparte before the Sphinx", 1867

In an endless desert under the scorching sun, a confident self-assured Bonaparte, the favorite of the nation, sits on a horse. His figure is underlined chalk in comparison with the bulk of the Sphinx.

Napoleon's retinue can only be guessed from the shadows that are behind. The creator of the empire does not doubt that he will solve the mystery of a huge monster. But, as history showed, this did not happen, and Napoleon ingloriously lost the war with Russia and died in exile on the small island of St. Helena, lost in the Atlantic Ocean.

In general, the East was interested in the artist. This is evidenced by the picture "Arabian concubines market". Jean-Leon Jerome wrote it in about 1866.

Choosing a concubine for a harem

From 1839 to 1876, the Ottoman Empire was undergoing constitutional reforms. The artist repeatedly came to the Middle East, was interested in his life, so unlike the European one. He knew that in the Port, under the influence of socio-economic reforms, trade in slaves is restricted. But nevertheless, it continued, although not so openly. In the picture - a scene from a very close history. There is a bargaining in the courtyard. In the background sit dressed, prepared for sale women. In the center of the song is the owner of a slave and three customers. From the woman clothes are dumped, and she lies beside a pitiful group. To this humiliated creature, buyers look in the mouth, examining, as a horse, teeth.

Wildness and cruelty, lowland and lasciviousness, full possession of a woman as a subject without a soul, which is implied by Islam, are depicted by the artist very realistically, but simply as fact, without sympathy. Contrastfully written are wrapped in colorful clothes from head to foot of a man and absolutely naked, sparkling snow-white young body resigned woman. The painting brought a scandalous plaque to the artist's image. Now she is at the Institute of Arts in Massachusetts (USA).

One of the masterpieces

The picture, which is said, was written in 1878. The artist Jean-Leon Jerome created a work on a historical theme. This is "The Presentation of Prince Conde at Versailles." Very large and bright, without jerkiness, the canvas shows the majestic figure of Louis XIV standing on the top of a wide staircase.

On both sides are crowded exquisitely dressed courtiers and guards. Prince Conde, taking off his plumed hat, bent low before the king, showing complete resignation. Technically, the work is impeccable. Now she is in the museum of Orsay.

Jean-Leon Jerome was one of the most famous French artists of his time. During his long work, he repeatedly visited the center of attention, causing both sharp criticism and approval.