Hippolyte MICHAUD - Nature morte aux fruits et légumes

Hippolyte MICHAUD
Beaune, 1823 – Beaune, 1886
Oil on canvas
60 x 73 cm (76 x 90 cm with frame)
Signed and dated lower right “hM / 1852”

Hippolyte Michaud studied from 1840 at the Dijon school of fine arts, directed by Anatole Devosge, then in 1843 he joined the studio of Léon Cogniet in Paris. Michaud exhibited for the first time at the Paris Salon of 1846 but then returned to Beaune and then to Dijon.
In 1853 Michaud achieved first success with his painting “The body dies, the spirit remains”, a work acquired by the State and today at the Beaune Museum of Fine Arts. He traveled to Italy in 1860. From 1864, he became the curator of the Beaune Museum of Fine Arts. In 1865 he was again noticed by critics with his painting “The Attic”. Théophile Gautier praised it and this large painting was acquired by the State. Michaud represents in the form of allegories the dreams of the artist in his attic! In this painting as in many others, we can see the main characteristics of the painter's art: a very drawn, very academic style, with at the same time a very powerful rendering of the material with strong chiaroscuro and beautiful colors. 
Our painting is a beautiful still life with cabbage, melon, peaches, grapes and pears.   The diversity of fruits once again allows us to show a beautiful rendering of the materials, with lots of volume and beautiful colors. The painting is dated 1852. At the Salon of 1867 Michaud exhibited a painting on a similar subject entitled “Divers fruits des vignes de Beaune”