Henry Lerolle facts for kids
Henry Lerolle (born October 3, 1848 – died April 22, 1929) was a French painter. He was also an art collector and someone who supported artists. Henry Lerolle was born in Paris, France. He studied art at the Académie Suisse and with a teacher named Louis Lamothe.
His artwork was shown at the famous Paris Salon in 1868, 1885, and 1895. The Salon was a big art exhibition. In 1889, Lerolle painted large pictures called murals. These murals were The Crowning of Science and The Teaching of Science. You can find them in the Hôtel de Ville, Paris, which is Paris's city hall. He also painted Flight into Egypt in the Sorbonne university. Lerolle also created art for the Schola Cantorum music school and the church of St. Martin des Champs in Paris. He helped start the Schola Cantorum. In 1889, Henry Lerolle was given a special honor. He was made a Chevalier, which is like a knight, in the Légion d'honneur.
Today, you can see Lerolle's paintings in many famous museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His art is also at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. You can find his works at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco also has his paintings.
Supporting Other Artists
Henry Lerolle was a very important supporter of other artists. This is called being a patron. He owned several paintings by Maurice Denis. Denis was a famous artist, and Lerolle was his first big patron. Denis even said that Lerolle "discovered him." In 1892, Lerolle asked Denis to paint a ceiling mural for his home. This mural was called "L'Echelle dans le Feuillage," which means "Ladder in the Foliage."
Lerolle was also a good friend and patron to artists like Degas and Renoir. Renoir painted several pictures of Lerolle's daughters. He also painted a portrait of Lerolle himself. Lerolle also owned art by other famous painters. These included Fantin-Latour, who painted Lerolle's wife, Madeleine Escudier. He also owned works by Corot and Gauguin.
A Home for Creative Minds
Henry Lerolle's home was a special place. His wife, Madeleine Escudier, had a sister named Jeanne. Jeanne was married to the composer Ernest Chausson. The Lerolle home, at 20, avenue Duquesne, became a meeting spot. Not only artists gathered there, but also musicians. Famous musicians like Vincent d'Indy, Claude Debussy, and Paul Dukas visited often.
Because they met through Lerolle, Chausson also asked Maurice Denis to create art for him. Henry Lerolle himself was also a talented musician. He played the violin and composed music.
Claude Debussy, a famous composer, dedicated some of his piano music to Lerolle's daughter, Yvonne. Yvonne was born in 1877. She was also a friend of Julie Manet. Julie Manet was the daughter of the painter Berthe Morisot.
See also
- Les Nabis
