Louis Hersent

The son of Romain-Théodore Hersent, a silversmith, Louis Hersent was sent to learn the art of painting in the studio of Jean-Baptiste Regnault (1754-1829). He achieved second place for the Prix de Rome in 1797 but became seriously ill the following year and was forced to withdraw from the studio. He then briefly ventured into business but soon returned to art. A cousin of Hersent, Pierre Crouzet, worked as director of the military academy at Compiègne. Through this connection Hersent became a drawing instructor to its students in 1800. Crouzet transferred to Saint-Cyr the following year, and Hersent may have followed him there. Hersent was first accepted at the Salon of 1802 with Narcissus (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Arras). His early work recalls David (q.v.), but soon Hersent expanded his subject matter to include contemporary history; depictions of Native Americans based on legends, stories, or anthropological studies; official portraits; and European history. He enjoyed official success, receiving the Legion of Honor in 1819 and being elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1822. His wife, Louise-Marie-Jeanne Mauduit (1784-1862), was a painter herself who ran a studio to teach other women artists. Hersent became professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1825, replacing Girodet (q.v.). He opened his own studio at that time, and his pupils included Charles Gleyre (1806-1874), Paul Chenavard (1807-1895), and Jacques-Raymond Brascassat (1804-1867). In 1837 he became vice president of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, and the following year served as its president.