Théodore Rousseau

1812 (Paris) – 1867 (Barbizon, France)

Rousseau was a leading light in the group known as the Barbizon school, seen as direct precursors to the Impressionists. Daumier (who spent summer holidays at Rousseau’s), Daubigny and Millet were also active in this circle, though Millet — Rousseau’s closest friend — worked outside its immediate concerns, as did Corot, another close friend. It seems likely that Rousseau, who split his time between Paris and Barbizon, knew both Baudelaire (who wrote about him) and Delacroix (who met with him at least once). Gautier, friend and correspondent, called him a ‘remarkable conversationalist.’ He resisted Sand’s scheming of marriage to her adopted daughter.

Théodore Rousseau knew…

Antoine-Jean Gros

1771 (Paris) – 1835 (Meudon, France)

Gros is known for bringing a form of muscular history-painting style to contemporary subject-matter, and influenced both Géricault and Delacroix. He frequented Vigée-Le Brun’s studio, and was David’s pupil, assistant and disciple, taking over his studio (and his many students) when David exiled himself to Brussels. Couture (who taught Manet) and Bonington were among his own students. Géricault was a younger colleague of Gros, while the young Delacroix met Gros by chance, who asked if he could help him; Delacroix then spent hours alone with Gros’ earlier work in his studio, and in conversation with his idol.

Camille Corot

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

1796 (Paris) – 1875 (Ville-d'Avray, France)

Corot’s approach to landscape painting made him a crucial precursor to Impressionism. He taught Pissarro (briefly), advised Morisot (whose mother invited him to dinner every Tuesday), influenced Redon, and was admired by Delacroix (Corot gave him a list of models and their addresses) and Monet. In Paris, he and his good friends Courbet and Daumier were regulars at the Brasserie Andler (also Pissarro, whom he warned against marriage, and Baudelaire, who wrote supportively about him). Rousseau, Millet, Daubigny and Daumier were all Barbizon-connected friends; the famously generous Corot helped Millet’s widow as well as the blind impoverished Daumier.

Paul Cézanne

1839 (Aix-en-Provence, France) – 1906 (Aix-en-Provence)

Zola was his closest friend from schooldays on, encouraging him to head for Paris and introducing him to Courbet and Manet (the friendship finally ending over Cézanne’s offence at Zola’s fictional character modelled too closely on him). He worked closely alongside Pissarro as his influential mentor for two years. Monet, Manet and Renoir were all early artist colleagues (though he found Manet’s dandyism trying, and didn’t always appreciate Monet’s generosity). He met van Gogh, Gauguin and Rodin, and wrote illuminatingly to the young artists Bernard and Denis, whose writings helped establish his eventual critical standing.

Paul Cézanne knew…

Camille Pissarro

1830 (Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Isles) – 1903 (Paris)

Corot taught him. Monet and Cézanne, both a decade younger, were met as students. Renoir, Manet and Degas (an especially close friend) were among other Impressionist-group members; Pissarro acted as its unofficial secretary. He was a revered mentor, central to Cézanne’s and Gauguin’s development; van Gogh sought his advice, as later did his son’s friends Matisse (who compared him to Moses) and Picabia; while Cassatt declared he could teach stones to draw. He planned a monthly print journal with Degas and Cassatt, and was temporarily seduced by Signac and Seurat’s ideas. Mirbeau corresponded with and wrote about him.

Camille Pissarro knew…

Alfred Sisley

1839 (Paris) – 1899 (Moret-sur-Loing, France)

The life of Sisley, stylistically the most characteristic impressionist painter, has not been researched to the same extent as that of his more fêted colleagues. He met Renoir and Monet as students; he, they and Pissarro founded the group that organised the first Impressionist show. Manet was at the centre of a circle that met at the Café Guerbois that Sisley (and his friend Zola, as well as many other impressionists) was part of. Sisley, more French than English, stayed in England during the Franco-Prussian war, Pissarro introducing him to his dealer in London.

Samuel Palmer

1805 (London) – 1881 (Redhill, England)

Blake, 50 years older, became a profound influence on the autodidact Palmer, confirming his visionary instincts — Palmer was in many senses Blake’s disciple. They met through a mutual friend, John Linnell, an artist but also a patron of Blake’s, who became Palmer’s father-in-law; he mentored Palmer, without showing the same commitment as he did to Blake. One of Palmer’s sons, having written his biography, spent several days destroying much of his work in a well-meaning gesture (Palmer, having died decades earlier, had become a forgotten figure). Other artist-colleagues of Palmer’s were relatively minor characters.

Samuel Palmer knew…

John Flaxman

1755 (York) – 1826 (London)

Flaxman’s legacy has been as much through his drawings as his sculptural-relief work. He worked for both Wedgwood (extensively) and Boulton as a jobbing artist/craftsman: he also taught drawing to Wedgwood’s children, and was commissioned by Boulton’s son to sculpt Boulton’s monument. He met Soane when both were students, enjoying a long friendship; Blake was a great friend — they met as young men. Canova was a helpful ally and admirer both in Rome, where he helped Flaxman get work, and London. Schlegel (who visited him in London) and Flaxman’s fellow-academician Fuseli also admired him.

Thomas Lawrence

1769 (Bristol, England) – 1830 (London)

Burney met the ten-year-old Lawrence at his father’s inn, and described him as astonishing and a wonder of the age. Reynolds told him as a teenaged student to stop copying old masters and study nature. Turning his immense technical gifts to a career as a society painter, he became a friend and strong defender of Turner, who revered him, and helped carry his coffin in the snow from his funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral. Lawrence was a strong influence on his student Etty, met Géricault when he came to London to exhibit his ‘Raft of Medusa’, and helped Audubon find clients for portraits and subscribers for his bird prints.

William Holman Hunt

1827 (London) – 1910 (London)

Millais and Rossetti were met as students; the three founded the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood under Ruskin’s inspiration. Ruskin, a good friend and mentor, encouraged Hunt to paint evangelical themes (Hunt’s strong Christian faith did not preclude unapologetic bigotry about blacks, Jews and Arabs). Carlyle was a neighbour and friend, and encouraged Hunt’s Near Eastern travels; Hunt brought back a camel skeleton, but became more distanced from Millais and Rossetti. Tennyson got on well with him and accompanied him on a walking tour of Devon and Cornwall. Lear, a long-term friend, learned about colour and light from him.