Justin Ouvrié, Napoleon III And Eugenie In Amiens, 1854, Oil On Canvas

Justin Pierre OUVRIÉ

(Paris 1806-1879 Sotteville-lès-Rouen)

The boat of their imperial majesties Napoleon III and Eugénie along the Somme, Bélu quay, Amiens

1854

oil on canvas pasted on isorel

38 x 58 cm; 58 x 79 cm (framed)

signed ‘Justin Ouvrié’ and dated ‘54’ lower right

minor restorations to the sky

an inscription ‘faire le pendant’ on the back of the frame

Selective bibliography:

Bénézit, Paris, Ernest Gründ Editeur

Notable museums :

Musée du Louvre, Paris

Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Carnavalet Museum, Paris

To find out more :
Justin Ouvrié, a landscape and monument painter, trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Baron Taylor and Abel de Pujol. From 1831, he was a regular participant in the Paris Salon, where his works, mainly views of towns and monuments, were part of a realistic and topographical tradition, often embellished with historical or picturesque scenes. This style, in tune with public tastes and institutional commissions, ensured him a career marked by numerous successes. In 1854, he was made a knight of the Légion d'honneur, thus entering the official circles of art. As a teacher at the Maison d'éducation de la Légion d'honneur, he trained artists such as Jean-Joseph Bellel and Paul Chardin.

His work, often commissioned, shows a marked interest in the precise, almost documentary depiction of urban sites and architecture, echoing the ideals of his time.
Our painting is no exception. A veritable history painting, Ouvrié depicts the arrival of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie in Amiens on 12 October 1854. Hundreds of spectators lined the quays, while the town was covered in tricolour flags. Amiens cathedral looms in the background, adding to the solemnity of the event. This moment marked the inauguration of the Sainte-Theodosie chapel, refurbished and financed by Eugénie.