Background
His father was a painter and wallpaper designer.
lithographer painter professor
His father was a painter and wallpaper designer.
In 1812, he enrolled at the École des Beaux-arts, where he studied with Pierre-Narcisse Guérin.
He is probably best remembered as a teacher, with over one hundred well-known students. He also worked in the studios of Jean-Victor Bertin. Before leaving, he had his first exhibition at the Salon.
In 1827, he created a series of murals on the life of Saint Stephen for the church of Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs.
From 1833 to 1835, he painted a scene from Napoleon"s expedition to Egypt on one of the ceilings at the Louvre. After 1843, he concentrated almost entirely on teaching, with an occasional portrait.
After 1855, he essentially gave up painting. After 1831, he taught design at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand.
He also taught at the École polytechnique from 1847 to 1861.
In 1851, he was appointed a Professor at the École des Beaux-arts, a position he held until 1863, when he retired, slowly giving up his private students and becoming more reclusive. He died forgotten in the 10th arrondissement of Paris in 1880 and is interred at Père-Lachaise.