Alexandre Cabanel

Alexandre Cabanel was born in Montpellier, France, in 1823 and became one of the leading academic painters of the 19th century. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he rose to prominence through the official Salon system. Cabanel was celebrated for his polished technique, idealized figures, and refined use of color. His work reflects the values of academic art, drawing inspiration from classical mythology, history, and literature.

He achieved widespread fame with large-scale mythological and allegorical paintings that appealed to both critics and patrons. Cabanel also played an important role as a teacher, influencing many younger artists through his academic positions. During his lifetime, he received numerous honors and official recognition in France. Despite later criticism from modern movements, his technical mastery remains widely acknowledged. Cabanel died in 1889. His paintings stand as emblematic examples of 19th-century academic art and its ideals of beauty and harmony.