“Painter’s painter” they called him. That’s how Antoine Vollon was known. We’re standing here on Rue Antoine Vollon. This street bears his name. But who was Antoine Vollon?
Antoine Vollon was a French realist artist. He excelled in still lifes, landscapes, and figures. Born in Lyon in 1833, Vollon’s path to artistry wasn’t straightforward. He first apprenticed as a metal engraver. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon. Early on, he decorated enameled pans and stoves.
Imagine young Antoine surrounded by the scent of metal and enamel. He taught himself to paint. In 1859, Vollon moved to Paris. His goal was to become a painter. There, he studied with Théodule Ribot. He found inspiration in 17th-century Dutch still life painters. Vollon also befriended Alexandre Dumas and Honoré Daumier. He described himself as an artist “madly in love with painting”.
Vollon yearned to paint figures. Still lifes were considered a lower art form. In 1876, he submitted “Femme du Pollet à Dieppe” to the Salon. It depicted a woman carrying a basket. The painting won first prize. Édouard Manet, however, quipped, “What is Vollon’s Femme? A basket that walks.” This critique solidified Vollon’s reputation as a still life painter.
Despite Manet’s jab, Vollon achieved wide recognition. He won numerous awards. In 1897, he was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Collectors like Alexandre Dumas Jr. admired his work. Even today, some consider him perhaps the greatest painter.
His impact extended to his students too. Raymond Allègre and Joseph Garibaldi were among those he taught. He became a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1870. In 1900, Vollon received the Grand Prix at the Paris World’s Fair. Sadly, he suffered a stroke while painting at Versailles that same year. Antoine Vollon died shortly after. He rests in Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Rue Antoine Vollon serves as a tribute to this celebrated artist. A contemporary reviewer wrote, “Vollon smacks too much of other artists to be Truly Important, but his sensuous wallows in paint are well worth wider notice”. His legacy lives on in his art. It also lives on in this street that bears his name. It’s a reminder of a painter who transformed ordinary objects into extraordinary art.