Jean-Leon Gerome

Born in Vesoul, France, Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824–1904) was a leading painter and sculptor of the French academic tradition, renowned for his technical precision and attention to historical and cultural detail. He trained at the École des Beaux-Arts under Paul Delaroche and soon established a reputation for meticulously rendered works that combined realism with a dramatic, often theatrical sensibility. Gérôme’s paintings frequently explored historical, mythological and Orientalist themes, reflecting both scholarly research and a fascination with the exotic.

Gérôme’s approach was marked by careful composition, polished surfaces, and an almost photographic clarity of detail. Works such as The Snake Charmer and Pollice verso demonstrate his ability to combine narrative drama with visual exactitude, while his historical scenes often aimed to transport viewers to a convincingly recreated past. In addition to painting, Gérôme produced sculptural works, including busts and bas-reliefs, which echoed the same meticulous craftsmanship and clarity that defined his canvases.

Throughout his career, Gérôme achieved considerable recognition, winning multiple Salon medals and teaching at the École des Beaux-Arts, where he influenced a generation of students. He navigated the tensions between academic tradition and emerging modernist movements, maintaining a commitment to classical technique even as Impressionism and other avant-garde styles gained prominence.

Today, Gérôme is remembered for his technical mastery, narrative skill and contributions to the academic style. His paintings and sculptures remain highly regarded for their precision, visual storytelling and historical richness, securing his place as one of the foremost French artists of the 19th century.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Femme circassienne voilée: Veiled circassian beauty

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1850-1913)

Une plaisanterie (Arnaute fumant au nez d'un chien/Un lévrier qui n'aime pas le tabac)

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1850-1913)

Arnaute avec deux chiens whippets

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1850-1913)

Chevaux tenus par un esclave (La Halte)

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Jeune fille égyptienne: Egyptian girl

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Corps de garde d'arnautes au Caire

JEAN-LÉON GÉROME (FRENCH, 1824-1904)

The First Kiss of the Sun

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Pygmalion et Galatée, esquisse à l'huile

JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (FRENCH, 1824-1904)

Un bain maure, ébauche

CORINTHE

JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (1824-1904)

Jean-Léon Gérôme (Vésoul, Haute-Saône 1824-1904 Paris)

Washington à cheval ('Washington on horseback')

A FRENCH GILT AND PATINATED-BRONZE GROUP, ENTITLED 'VICTOIRE AU PEPLUM'

CAST BY SIOT-DECAUVILLE FROM THE MODEL BY JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (1824-1904), LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Jean-Léon Gérôme (Vesoul 1850-1913 Paris)

La rentrée des félins: The retreating lions

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Portrait of Marie-Anne d'Escoubleau de Sourdis, Madame Charles-Joachim Lefèvre (1853-1938), Previously Thought to be a Portrait of the Artist's Wife, Marie Gérôme, née Goupil (1842-1912)

JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (VESOUL 1824-1904 PARIS)

Le Général Bonaparte au Caire, ébauche

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

Dollar, a Bay Hunter in a loose Box

A FRENCH GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF A NUDE ENTITLED 'JOUEUSE DE BOULES'

CAST BY SIOT FROM A MODEL BY JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME, EARLY 20TH CENTURY

A FRENCH POLYCHROME PATINATED BRONZE FIGURAL GROUP ENTITLED 'LA FUITE EN EGYPTE'

CAST BY SIOT-DECAUVILLE, PARIS, FROM A MODEL BY JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

JEAN-LEON GEROME (VESOUL 1824 - 1904 PARIS)

Personnage symbolisant la Turquie

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904)

César franchissant le Rubicon

JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (FRENCH, 1824 - 1904)

Danseuse à la pomme (Ancient dancer)

A FRENCH GILT-BRONZE EQUESTRIAN GROUP ENTITLED 'CESAR FRANCHISSANT LE RUBICON'

CAST BY SIOT-DECAUVILLE FROM A MODEL BY JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (VESOUL 1824-1904 PARIS)

Prisonnier allongé dans une barque avec un musicien, deux rameurs et un oriental

A FRENCH POLYCHROME-PATINATED BRONZE FIGURE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT ON HORSEBACK

PROBABLY CAST BY SIOT-DECAUVILLE FROM A MODEL BY JEAN-LEON GEROME, LATE 19TH CENTURY

GROUPE EQUESTRE EN BRONZE ARGENTE REPRESENTANT BONAPARTE ENTRANT AU CAIRE

D'APRES UN MODELE DE JEAN-LEON GEROME (1824-1904), FRANCE, FIN DU XIXEME SIECLE

A FRENCH DUAL-PATINATED BRONZE EQUESTRIAN GROUP, ENTITLED 'CESAR FRANCHISSANT LE RUBICON'

PROBABLY CAST BY SIOT-DECAUVILLE FROM A MODEL BY JEAN-LEON GEROME, LAST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

A FRENCH GILT-BRONZE MODEL OF VICTORY,

LATE 19TH CENTURY, INSCRIBED 'J.L. GEROME', STAMPED 'FRANCE' AND NUMBERED '455B'

A French bronze figure of a gladiator entitled Mirmillon

CAST FROM THE MODEL BY JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME (1824-1904), SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY