Alexandre Cabanel

Alexandre Cabanel (1823-1889) was a French painter who specialized in academic art. He studied under François-Édouard Picot at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and won the Prix de Rome in 1845. Cabanel was known for his idealized depictions of women, often using mythological or allegorical themes. His most famous work, The Birth of Venus, was completed in 1863 and became a symbol of the academic style. Cabanel was also a successful teacher, serving as a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts and influencing many artists who would later become known as the "Second Generation" of the Academic Art movement. He continued to paint until his death in 1889, and his legacy as a leading academic artist of the 19th century endures today.