Antoine-Jean Gros, 1771-1835Drawings from the Louvre

One of Jacques-Louis David’s (1748–1825) most famous pupils, and known as the painter of the Napoleonic epic, Antoine-Jean Gros is rightly considered a forerunner of Romanticism. Early on, his drawings, more so than his paintings, began to reveal a gradual shift away from David’s teachings, leading to a definitive break with neoclassical aesthetics and a distinct style heralding the new artistic movement.

In his most dramatic drawings, executed in pen and ink, Gros’s free, impetuous style and liberal use of wash accentuate the strength and originality of his art, which led Delacroix to single the artist out from David’s other pupils and consider him the first painter of the new school.

Organized to accompany the publication in June 2019 of the Inventaire général des dessins d’Antoine-Jean Gros (1771-1835) au Louvre (General Inventory of the Drawings of Antoine-Jean Gros (1771–1835) at the Louvre), this exhibition features about forty drawings, as well as paintings from the museum’s collection and the Musée Delacroix. It offers an overview of Gros’s career, from his training to the peak of his artistic maturity, and highlights his draftsmanship, of which the public knows very little.

Organised by:

Laura Angelucci, musée du Louvre.

Publications:

Catalogue raisonné, par L. Angelucci. Coéd. musée du Louvre éditions / Mare & Martin. 328 p.