Auguste Toulmouche

Auguste Toulmouche (1829-1890) was a French academic painter who specialized in portraits, genre scenes, and allegories. Born in Nantes, Toulmouche initially studied law before abandoning it to pursue his passion for painting. He studied under Charles Gleyre and exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1852 onwards, winning several awards. Toulmouche's works are known for their elegance, refinement, and attention to detail, as well as their depiction of fashionable and sophisticated women in elegant settings. His painting "The Reluctant Bride" (1866) is considered his masterpiece and is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Toulmouche's style was influential in the development of the later Rococo revival, and his work remains highly regarded today for its technical virtuosity and beauty.