Autoportrait

Jean-Jacques Henner prints glow softly out of the shadows. Henner was a French painter from Alsace, famous for his pale, luminous figures with flowing red hair, emerging from dark, misty backgrounds. His Fabiola became one of the most copied images of its time. This collection gathers art prints of his nymphs and readers, religious subjects, portraits of women and girls, and his landscapes of Italy and Alsace.

About Jean-Jacques Henner

Jean-Jacques Henner was born on 5 March 1829 in Bernwiller, in the Sundgau region of Alsace, the son of a farmer. He took his first drawing lessons at the collège in Altkirch and then in Strasbourg, and in 1848, with grants from his department, went to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Michel Martin Drolling and François-Édouard Picot.

In 1858, at his third attempt, he won the Prix de Rome with Adam and Eve Finding the Body of Abel and spent five years at the Villa Medici, studying the old masters and painting Italian landscapes. Back in Paris he first exhibited at the Salon in 1863, and his Chaste Susanna (1865) was bought by the state.

Henner became one of the most respected painters of his day. From 1874 to 1889 he and Carolus-Duran ran a studio for women painters, who were then barred from the École des Beaux-Arts. He was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1889 and won a Grand Prix at the 1900 Exposition Universelle. He died in Paris on 23 July 1905.

Style and Subjects

Henner is known for his use of sfumato and chiaroscuro: soft, smoky transitions between light and shadow. His female nudes, nymphs and saints have pale, glowing skin and long red hair, set against deep blue-black or brown backgrounds, and the effect is quiet and dreamlike.

He stayed apart from the new movements of his time, preferring the example of Correggio, Titian and Prud'hon. Besides his idealized figures, he was a sought-after portrait painter and painted fresh, direct landscapes of Italy and his native Alsace.

Famous Works

• The Chaste Susanna (1864), Musée d'Orsay, Paris. His first great success at the Salon, bought by the state.
• Woman on a Black Divan (1865), Musée des Beaux-Arts, Mulhouse. A glowing reclining figure against a dark background.
• Alsace. She Waits (1871), Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner, Paris. A young Alsatian woman in mourning after the region's loss in the Franco-Prussian War.
• Naiads (1877), Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner, Paris. Water nymphs in a misty landscape.
• Eclogue (1879), Petit Palais, Paris. A pastoral scene of music and nature.
• Bara (1882), Petit Palais, Paris. The young revolutionary hero lying dead.
• Fabiola (1885). A young saint in profile with a red veil, endlessly copied around the world.

Decorating with Henner Prints

Henner's glowing figures suit a bedroom, reading corner or quiet sitting room. Their pale skin tones, rich reds and deep blue-blacks look striking in dark or gilt frames, especially against warm, muted walls.

His portraits of girls and women work well in a hallway or dressing room, while his Italian and Alsatian landscapes bring calm, soft light to a study or guest room.

FAQ

What art movement was Jean-Jacques Henner part of?

Henner was a French academic painter whose soft, dreamy style is often linked with Symbolism. He remained independent of the modern movements of his time.

What is Jean-Jacques Henner's most famous painting?

His Fabiola (1885) is his most widely known image. The original is lost, but it was copied by artists around the world, and the artist Francis Alÿs has collected over 500 copies.

Where can I see Henner's original paintings?

The Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner in Paris is dedicated to his work. Others are at the Musée d'Orsay, the Petit Palais and museums in Mulhouse and Colmar.

How can you recognize a Jean-Jacques Henner painting?

Look for pale, glowing figures, often with red hair, emerging from dark blue or brown backgrounds, painted with soft, smoky edges.

Did Henner teach women painters?

Yes. From 1874 to 1889 he and Carolus-Duran ran a studio for women, who were not then allowed to study at the École des Beaux-Arts. Among his pupils was the Dutch portraitist Thérèse Schwartze.

Related Artists

• Carolus-Duran — ran the studio for women painters with him
• Thérèse Schwartze — Dutch portraitist who studied with him in Paris
• Pierre-Paul Prud'hon — earlier French painter whose soft style he admired
• Alexandre Cabanel — academic painter whom he succeeded at the Institut de France
• Jules Lefebvre — fellow academic painter of graceful female figures