Jean-Baptiste Beuchot was born on April 4th, 1821 in Lyon, France to Denis Beuchot and Marie Baudry. Following in his father's footsteps, Beuchot was a man of many talents, often referred to as a painter, an art restorer, a draughtsman, and a decorator. He mostly worked in and around Lyon in the Rhone-Alps region of France, just northwest of Provence. In 1836, at the age of 15, he began attending the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon where he studied until 1841. His work appeared in several exhibitions at the Salon de Lyon, and in 1848 his "Souvenir du Dauphine" Memory of Dauphine, (probably referring to the region of France rather than a future queen), was amongst the paintings of Lyon's academic elite. In 1849, his "Coup de vent dans une foret aux environs de Roanne" (Sudden burst of wind in a forest around Roanne) was on display, and two more of his landscapes were on display in 1851: "Vue prise aux bords de Saone, aux environs de Lyon" (View taken at the edge of the Saone, around Lyon) and "Souvenirs du Forez" (Memories of Forez). While the Salon de Lyon seemed to prefer his landscapes, Beuchot also produced many works of mythological and religious subjects as well as genre scenes. One such genre scene, "Reunion au XVIIIeme siecle" (17th Century Meeting) is displayed at one of the museums of art and history in La Rochelle, France.
"Reunion au XVIIIeme siecle" by Beuchot
In 1851 Beuchot took a young Alphonse Legros under his wing. Legros, whose paintings now grace the walls of the Tate Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum, spent six months in Beuchot's studio. During this time he aided Beuchot in painting the Chapel of Cardinal Bonald in the Cathedral.
Chapelle Notre Dame du Bon Secours, Chatillon d'Azergues
Between 1853 and 1856 Beuchot carried out the interior decoration of the Chapelle Notre Dame du Bon Secours in the Chatillon d'Azergues along with Claudius Lavergne and Hippolyte Flandrin.
Ceiling detail painted by Beuchot, Mural by Claudius Lavergne surrounded by decorative patterns by Beuchot
Altar at Chapelle Notre Dame du Bon Secours, ornate walls and domed ceiling painted by Beuchot
Eglise de la Charite, Lyon
Beuchot did similar ornamental and decorative paintings for the Eglise de la Charite in Lyon. The Church, built in 1624, served as a hospital, a soup kitchen, and an orphanage. It was still functioning in 1934 when the city of Lyon decided to tear the antiquated facility down to make way for the new post office building. All that remains of the church today is its bell tower.
l'Eglise de la Charite in the early 1900's
In 1858 Beuchot did several decorative paintings for the reception rooms in the south wing of the Htel de Ville (Town Hall), and in 1860 he restored the paintings of Thomas Blanchet that hung there.
Blanchet painting that would have been restored by Beuchot
Le Palais du Commerce, Lyon
In 1860 Beuchot was in charge of the ceiling decoration for Lyon's Palais du Commerce. For this he created ten immense canvases, including one in the Jacquard Room.
His paintings titled "Le Conseil" (The Council) and "La Force Prudente" (The Careful Force) can be seen in the courtroom and the deliberation room of the Commercial Court.
Palais du Commerce in Lyon
The Jacquard Room
Virtual Tour of the Hotel de Ville
L'Eglise Saint-Pierre, Macon
In 1868 Beuchot did two remarkable frescoes in the axial vault of Eglise Saint-Pierre in the town of Macon, just north of Lyon. These frescoes on the north and south walls depict scenes related to the construction of the church and its inauguration. On the north wall there is a full-length portrait of the architect, George Berthier. Behind Berthier stands a painter holding a palette and brushes, and many consider this to be a self-portrait of Beuchot.
The south fresco depicting the inauguration of the church
The north fresco depicting the construction of the church, with a self-portrait of Beuchot on the far right
Beuchot's self-portrait, Signed "Beuchot MDCCCLXVIII", Facade of L'Eglise Saint-Pierre
L'Eglise de la Madeleine, Paris
For the Eglise de la Madeleine Beuchot painted a "Madeleine a genoux devant la Croix" (Madeleine kneeling before the Cross).
L'Eglise de la Madeleine
Jean-Baptiste Beuchot died in 1884, survived by his daughter, Marie Augustine, and his son, Auguste Pierre. He left behind many sketches and watercolors, mostly historical or genre scenes. The Salon de Lyon showed his work once more after his death, and in 1904 his "Femme en costume Louis XV a sa toilette" and "le Rendez-vous" were part of a retrospective. A handful of his works have shown up in auctions over the past century, often fetching impressive prices.
Beaux Arts is proud to present the largest collection of Beuchot's drawings and paintings ever available to the public. The exhibit features more than 90 original drawings, watercolors, and gouaches, each one beautifully rendered and exquisitely detailed. Showing off Beuchot's myriad of talents, the exhibit includes beautiful landscapes and images of contemporary life, as well as some remarkably ornate designs for l'Eglise St. Pierre. The delicate genre scenes and decorative embellishments evoke aristocratic elegance, making them exemplars of the Rococo Revival style popular in the mid-nineteeth century. Along with having the finest selection of framing options, Beaux Arts is also the leading resource for restoration of works on paper in Dallas. This means that each unique piece is wonderfully restored and sumptuously presented in hand-finished gilt frames as only Beaux Arts can.
The link below will display a thumbnail page of the drawings that will be part of the gallery opening.
Drawing Album Images