Achille Devéria achieved something that many artists never achieved. He became a sought-after and respected artist of the young 19th century at an early age. After completing his schooling, he immediately embarked on an artistic and dedicated himself to oil painting. Already at the age of 22, the painter took part in an exhibition of the Paris Salon.
His younger brother also devoted himself to the arts and despite the proximity of the siblings, their choice of motifs developed in different directions. During a joint art school Achille Devéria devoted himself to lithography. Especially in publishing lithographs were in demand and the artist received the orders for the illustration of great novels. From then on, editions of "Don Quixote", "Robinson Crusoe" and "Faust" were fine graphic works of art, which Achille produced with the utmost precision. Each art epoch experienced a change and was subject to constant changes. Achille Devéria took up the changes and incorporated new currents in his art. Later, the artist skillfully took over the administration of the graphic collection in the French National Library and directs the Egyptian collection of the Louvre. Unfortunately, one illness ended the life of this unusual artist who met him on a trip to Egypt.
The art scene of the early 19th century slowly but steadily escaped religious influence. Especially in Paris, the scene of visual artists and writers merges. Achille Devéria and Vitor Hugo have formed an artistic scene with a lively exchange. The works of Achille have a wide range of motifs. This is due to its different clients. So he created small views that were reserved for the private sight of his clients and provided an erotic flair in the boudoir. On the other hand, the good society commissioned modest devotional pictures intended for the public spaces in the house. The literary industry ordered illustrations and across genres let artists make portraits of themselves. Famous are the interpretations Devéria of Victor Hugo and Franz List elaborated. Ernst Jünger described the selection of works with the words "sweet devotional pictures up to works with fiery pornography" and thus captured the unusual spectrum.
© Meisterdrucke