The Terror by Claude-Marie Dubufe

A strikingly alarming oil painting of an aristocratic young lady painted from the shoulders up dressed in a sheer nightgown with her shoulders totally bare, her neck in full stretch and exposed, and a facial expression that suggests only one emotion “fear”. The work is by the renowned  19 century portrait painter Claude -Marie Dubufe. The artist aptly named this painting “Le Terror ” capturing the moment that the young girl is being led up to the guillotine.Claude Marie Paul Dubufe, was born in Paris in 1790 at the height of  the French Revolution. and while the Reign of Terror associated with the French Revolution happened mostly in-between 1793 and 1794 when Claude Marie was just a toddler, it was introduced again in Paris in 1832 when Claude Marie was at the height of his career  and he may very well have witnessed an execution.

As a young boy Claude-Marie was being groomed to become a diplomat  but  as they say “life had other plans”. While he excelled in school, young Claude-Marie would spend his spare time painting and to learn he use to hang out at the atelier of none other than Jacques Louis Divid. David  quickly recognized that this little boy had talent and in 1804 after meeting with Claude -Marie’s father  to allow th boy to pursue a career in art, Claude Marie was admitted to the atelier of David.  ,

Claude Marie’s debut in the Paris Art Salon in 1810 with a neo-classical painting called Apollo and Cyparisse received a luke warm reception from Parisian Society. A little discouraged Claude Marie left a year later for Italy where he  was introduced to a noble  House of Orleans. The family took quickly  to Claude-Marie’s obvious talent and they were the ones who convinced him to switch stylistic tack from neo-classical art to  portraiture he is renowned for today.  In 1818 he got married  and a year later he had a son  Edouard who later became a portrait artist like his father in his own right. Eduard himself had a son Guillaume who followed in his father’s and grandfather’s foot steps as portrait painter to the wealthy and the nobility.

In 1827,  Claude Marie became a Knight of the Legion of Honor . Sadly that same year he lost his first wife. He remarried in 1841 and fathered three more boys. The artist passed away in 1864 and is interned in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

A comprehensive biographical and pictorial rendition of the life and art of the entire Dubufe Family along with names of aristocrats and bourgeoisie that the artists were commissioned to paint, is supremely well encapsulated in book titled Claude-Marie, Edouard et Guillaume Dubufe, ” Portraits D’Un Siegle d’Elegance Parisienne ” published by the Delegation a l’Action Artistique de la Ville de Paris. Guillaume referred to in this publication was the son of Edouard who in turn became a portrait painter like his father and grandfather. This book will accompany the sale of this painting.

A comprehensive biographical and pictorial rendition of the life and art of the entire Dubufe Family along with names of aristocrats and bourgeoisie that the artists were commissioned to paint, is supremely well encapsulated in book titled Claude-Marie, Edouard et Guillaume Dubufe, ” Portraits D’Un Siegle d’Elegance Parisienne ” published by the Delegation a l’Action Artistique de la Ville de Paris. In this publication Le Terror is considered so important a work  in Claude Marie Dubufe’s portfolio that it is given a full page treatment. Refer to Dynamic Picture Gallery for specifics. This book will accompany the sale of this painting.

Dimensions with the frame 22.5″ ( 57 cm )  x 26″ ( 66 cm )

Ref: CD YT7548