JEAN-ACHILLE BENOUVILLE (1815-1891)

 
A VIEW OF THE ROMAN SKYLINE AT SUNSET
Signed l.r. Achille Benouville à Rome
Oil on paper
13.3 x 24.6 cm
 
 
 
 
Benouville was born in Paris where, together with his younger brother, François-Léon, he began his career apprenticed to François-Édouard Picot and, later, to Léon Cogniet. Displaying an affinity for landscape painting, in which he was encouraged by Picot, Benouville won the 2nd prize in the 1837 Prix de Rome historical landscape concours, in which year he was also admitted to the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts. During this period Benouville made three trips to Italy, the third in the company of Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, with whom he shared a studio in Rome. In 1845, Benouville was at last awarded the 1st prize in the Prix de Rome in his chosen category.
 
The proceeds from this award, gifted by the French state, were enough for Benouville to move to Italy, where he remained for the next three decades. He travelled with his brother Léon, who had won the first prize for history painting that same year. At first, Benouville lived for three years at the Villa Médicis, before relocating to a studio in the Piazza di Spagna and then to another at residence on the Via del Babuino, all the while continuing to send his works to the Salon each year.  The artist returned to France in the wake of his wife's death, but continued to travel regularly to Italy, the Pyrenees and the Netherlands until his death in Paris in 1891