Summer

14 December 1824

Born

1844–1845

Illness interrupts his studies: convalescence at Mâcon

The son of a mining engineer from an old Burgundian family, Pierre meant to follow his father’s profession, but a serious illness interrupted his studies and he convalesced at Mâcon with his brother and sister-in-law. The illness kept him from entering the École Polytechnique in Paris.

1846

Decides to become a painter

A journey to Italy opened his mind to new ideas, and on returning to Paris Puvis announced that he would become a painter. He first studied with Eugène Delacroix, but only very briefly, as Delacroix closed his studio through ill health (by other accounts, for fifteen days, after his second Italian journey), then with Henri Scheffer and Thomas Couture; he took a large studio near the Gare de Lyon and attended anatomy classes at the Académie des Beaux-Arts.

1850

Salon debut

Puvis made his Salon debut with “Dead Christ”, “Black Youth with a Sword”, “The Reading Lesson” and “Portrait of a Man”. The debut was difficult: he was rejected several times, and when his pictures were finally shown they were harshly criticised.

1890

Co-founder and president of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts

Puvis became co-founder and president of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, founded in Paris; its exhibitions, juried solely by the society’s officers, became the dominant salon of the day.

24 October 1898

Died