Jean-Baptiste Robie
1821 - 1910
Jean-Baptiste Robie was born in 1821 and grew up in Brussels where he studied at the Brussels Academy with Balthasar Tasson. He first came to public attention for his portraits of Napoleon, however it is his still-lifes for which Robie is best known.
Robie is regarded as having played a pivotal role in the evolution of flower painting, aiding the development from romanticism to realism. His work is particularly noted for its faithful use of colour, its clarity and incredible attention to detail. His still-lifes show a remarkable amount of detail, not just on the subject, but also on the background of his compositions.
During his lifetime Robie travelled extensively in Europe, visiting Italy, Spain, France and Germany. He also spent time in the Middle East, and he wrote the most famous of his many travel his books Les Débuts d'un Peintre (1886) about his long stay in India.
Robie exhibited at the Brussels Salon from 1843 until 1875, winning a number of medals. He made his debut at the Paris Salon in 1863, participated in the 1880 exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts and went on to exhibit in Antwerp and Ghent before exhibiting at the 1885 World Fair in Paris. He was knighted in 1861 and continued to receive various honours from then onwards.
Museums:
Brussels
Ghent
Lille
Hamburg
Boston
Minneapolis
New York
Sydney
Florence