École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts.
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Mr. Vibert was born in Paris, France, on September 30, 1840. He was the son of engraver and publisher Théodore Vibert, and grandson of the influential rose-breeder Jean-Pierre Vibert, who invented new species of roses and named one the Georges Vibert rose. Vibert's maternal grandfather, Jean-Pierre-Marie Jazet, was also an engraver.
Jehan Georges Vibert was interested in painting from an early childhood and when he was sixteen years old entered the studio of Félix-Joseph Barrias. Barrias was a serious teacher but also encouraged young artists to develop their own style, forcing them to focus on drawing before executing any paintings. In April 1857 he enrolled in the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He studied there for six years in the class of the historic painter François-Edouard Picot. During his studies Vibert was an active participant in the many competitions that were held among the students, finally earning the first place. As a young man he was a mediocre student, "more assiduous in drawing pictures of people in [his] copy-books than in paying attention to [his] master’s lessons." Just as many other artists, Vibert’s diligence did not extend to his studies.
Around 1860 Mr. Vibert came into contact with a young Spanish artist by the name of Eduardo Zamacois while they were both in Paris. Perhaps under his influence, Vibert traveled several times to Spain; his earliest trip was around 1860-1861. From these journeys he collected Spanish clothing and objects which he later used to create authentic settings for his compositions. For a period during and after these trips he became intrigued by everything Spanish and executed a number of compositions such as Viendra-t-Il? (Will he Come?) or the earlier Toreros Priant Avant d’Entrer dans l’Arène (Toreros at Prayer before Entering the Arena).
Vibert debuted at the Salon of 1863 with La Sieste (The Siesta) and Repentir (Repentance). His early works show the influence of his master Picot. From 1866-1867 he turned towards genre scenes that fully established his reputation among the leading artists of the period. Vibert was also a traveler to the East like many of the Orientalists of this period, such as Eugène Fromentin. With them he shared an interest in ethnography and the rendering of every detail with equal care. He returned to France from these journeys just before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870.
During the Franco-Prussian War, Jehan Vibert became a sharpshooter and was wounded at the battle of Malmaison in October 1870. Upon recovering from his war wounds, Vibert became a fairly prolific playwright and staged many productions, in which he himself was also an actor. Many of these poked fun at the major establishments, such as the "Le Médecin Malade". Others include "La Tribune Mécanique" performed at the Palais Royal in 1862, and "Les Chapeaux Conference" of 1874, "Le Verglas" of 1876, and an operetta "Chanteuse par Amours" presented at the Variétés in 1877. He also wrote a number of stories for the American publication The Century Magazine. Many of his writings were based on scenes from his paintings, or vice versa. This was also a convenient way to advertise his works to a larger audience.
In 1878 he formalized along with Louis Leloir, Jules Worms, Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour, and Zamacois the Société des Aquarellistes Français, of which he became the first president. The same year Vibert also took part in the Exposition Universelle where he was represented by six watercolors and seven oils and was awarded a third-class medal for his entries.
Jehan Vibert continued to submit work to the Salon until 1899 with L’Aigle et le Renard (The Eagle and the Fox). He wrote frequently on art matters, and at the time of his death in 1902 he was compiling an autobiography, illustrated with reproductions of his paintings.
The popularity of Jehan Vibert's works spread far beyond the borders of France into America where they fetched high prices and garnered him many commissions, such as those of John Jacob Astor and William Vanderbilt. His works are displayed now at various prestigious art museums in the United States, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Haggin Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
He had a range of medals, crosses and honors for his works. In 1864 he was given his first medal for Narcisse Changé en Fleur, Insouciance (Narcissus Transformed into a Flower). Jehan Vibert also received medals in 1867 and 1868. Vibert was awarded the Légion d'Honneur and became a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. He became an Officier of the Légion d’Honneur in 1882.
Francois Guizot (after a painting by Paul Delaroche)
A scandal
The Preening Peacock
The Bullfighters Adoring Crowd
Eureka
A Grand White Enuch Watching Doves
The Serenade
The Wrath of the Bishop
Chatting by the Fountain
The Departure of the Newlyweds
A Fine Point
The Missionary's Adventures
An Afternoon Libation
The primers
Why comes he not?
Tea for the Bishop
The Sick Doctor
The Duet
A state secret
Cardinal, Reading a Letter
The Thespians
A Plate Of Cakes
The Distraction
Gulliver
The Fortune Teller
At the Corrida
The Reprimand
Reading Rabelais
The Diet
Young Girl Arranging Flowers
The Church In Danger
The Marvelous Sauce
The Church In Danger
Scramble for the Lunch
Bishop visits
Autumn Flowers
The Final Touch
The Convent Choir
Preparations for the Procession
Some of Jehan Georges Vibert's paintings were characterized by anti-clericalism, genre of art portraying clergy, especially Roman Catholic clergy, in unflattering contexts.
Quotations: "After some years, during which the artist, then entirely unknown, was trying to make his way, he met with his first success, and from that day on his life has been like that of other artists. He has had medals, crosses, honors. He has painted, he paints, and he will paint as long as God shall let him. With regard to his works, which are everywhere, they must speak for themselves; and as for saying which the artist prefers, we never shall. A father loves all his children, though he may be seldom satisfied with them."
Jehan Vibert was a man with diverse talents and interests and a witty personality - qualities that later shaped his satirical works, leading to his depiction of incendiary scenes that in earlier times would have had him imprisoned.
Quotes from others about the person
Eugène Montrosier: "Not being able to bring the amateurs to his doors, he resolved to follow their tastes, and in 1867 he boarded the "genre" as bravely as he had the "grand style," and with much more tangible success."
Jehan Georges Vibert married one of the leading actresses of the Comédie Française, Maria Lloyd, but they divorced in 1887.
