Alfred De Dreux (1810-1860)

Alfred De Dreux (1810-1860)
Hassan, Arab stallion and haïk to the trough
Oil on canvas signed and dated 1858 lower left
25.20 x 31.50 inch
Alfred De Dreux is the main ambassador of the "wildlife portrait" genre or group portrait with animals. De Dreux
has an artistic background, for his father is a renowned architect who obtains the Roma Prize in 1815 for his
polytechnic school project, and settles down with his family in the Villa Medicis as a resident artist. During their
stay in Rome, they host their friend and artist Theodore Guericault. Alfred De Dreux admires him for his artistic
outstanding talents as a painter and a horseman.
The young Alfred joins the master's studio and gets taste for drawing cuirassiers riding on sturdy horses. Following
Guericault's death in 1824, De Dreux joins the Leon Cogniet's studio. He then executes his first painting and pays
tribute to the master with a copy of "Mazeppa". He completes his education at the Cogniet's studio until 1831
when he becomes a member of the Fine Arts Academy and exhibits for the first time two paintings at the Salon: "A
horse jumping a ditch" and "Inside the stable". These two works meet a great success and open a prolific pictorial
carrier.
From 1838, equestrian portraits depicting famous men and women accumulate, thus forming a real gallery at the
painter's studio: comedienne Mademoiselle Doche portrait, Baron Klein portrait, young count of Bremont d'Ars
on his poney, as well as the Ranjiit Sting Baadour portrait held today at the Louvre Museum.
Alfred De Dreux takes part to the 1855 Exposition Universelle and is appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
in 1857. The artist often travels to Great Britain between 1857 and 1858, and is particularly fond of the English
horse style he finds noble and elegant. De Dreux explores the racecourses and offers his own vision of the
equestrian world. He will later inspire Degas with his depiction of the races, and the younger artist will collect the
De Dreux drawings and engravings.
Museums
Paris: Le Louve, le Musée des Arts décoratifs, Le Petit Palais
Bordeaux, Brest, Dijon, Le Havre, Narbonne, Riom, Saint Lô: Musée des Beaux-Arts
Dublin: National Gallery of Art
Florence: Musée des Offices
Londres: Victoria and Albert Museum, Windsor Castle, Tate Gallery
Moscou: Musée Pouchkine
Saint Petersbourg: Musée de l'Ermitage
Galerie Ary Jan
38 rue de Penthièvre | 75008 Paris
Tel : +33 (0)1 42 61 42 10 | Mobile : +33 (0)6 07 88 75 84
[email protected] | www.galeriearyjan.com
Etats Unis: The Détroit Institute of art, Virginia Museum of fine art, Washington National Gallery
Bibliography
Marie-Christine Renauld Beaupère, Alfred de Dreux le peintre du cheval, Ed. Caracole, 1988.
Marie-Christine Renauld, L'univers d'Alfred De Dreux, suivi du catalogue raisonné, Actes-Sud, 2008 reproduced
p.168 et p.7 in the catalogue raisonné.
Bénézit, Dictionnaire des peintres, Edition Grund, 1999.
Galerie Ary Jan
38 rue de Penthièvre | 75008 Paris
Tel : +33 (0)1 42 61 42 10 | Mobile : +33 (0)6 07 88 75 84
[email protected] | www.galeriearyjan.com