Angélique Mezzara

Angélique Mezzara, born Marie Angélique Foulon, (1793 – September 13, 1868) was a French portrait painter and miniaturist, who frequently worked in pastels. During a time when few women were painters, she exhibited regularly for nearly 30 years at the Paris Salon, the major art event of the time. Two of her sons became sculptors, and a daughter exhibited with her at the Paris exhibition as a painter.

Angélique Mezzara
Born
Marie Angélique Foulon

1793
Paris, France
DiedSeptember 13, 1868(1868-09-13) (aged 74–75)
Paris, France
NationalityFrench
Known forminiaturist, pastellist, painter Painting
Spouse(s)Francesco Mezzara
Portrait of melle Mallet by Angélique Mezzara

Family

Marie Angélique Foulon was born in 1793 to Nicolas Foulon and Madeleine Marotte du Coudray. Nicolas Foulon was an apostate Benedictine monk, who at one point drew up a French breviary to replace the Roman Catholic one.[1] He left and was expelled from the Jansenist monastery of Blancs-Manteaux in Paris at the time of the French Revolution.[2] His revolutionary political involvement reportedly included being bailiff at the Council of 500, and serving in the Tribunat and Senate.[3] Madeleine Marotte du Coudray had been raised in a severe Jansenist family. Because of opposition from her family, the couple lived together for several years and had at least one child before formally declaring their union in a civil ceremony on January 11, 1793, as a mariage provisoire. Marie Angélique was the second of their four children. Her older sister, also named Marie, was born September 24, 1791, and is noted in the marriage declaration.[2][4]

Marriage and Career
Jeune Fille by Angélique Mezzara

By 1813, Marie Angélique Foulon, "an artiste peintre"[5] was married to Thomas François Gaspard Mezzara, also known as Francis or Francesco Mezzara (1774–February 3, 1845). The couple lived in Paris at 16 Rue d'Enfer as of 1813, and at 89 Rue de Charonne as of 1818. Although identified at the time of his marriage as a "peintre d'histoire",[5] his works were rejected when he submitted them to the Paris Salon in 1842 and 1844.[6] A self-portrait was the only painting by Francesco Mezzara known to exist as of 2014. There are suggestions that his main source of income was as a dealer in art and antiquities.[5]

The couple traveled briefly in the United States in 1817 and again in 1819. Their first son, Joseph-Ernest-Amédée Mezzara (March 2, 1820 – 1901) was born in New York. Their second son, Pierre-Alexandre-Louis Mezzara (December 9, 1825 – January 30, 1883) was born in Évreux, France. A daughter, Marie-Adèle Angiola Mezzara (August 1, 1828-) was born in Paris.[5] It is possible that another daughter, Clémentine, may have been born in the United States.[5][7]

Contemporary sources suggest that the marriage was not happy: Pierre-Jean de Béranger wrote to David d'Angers that Madame Mezzara supported her "nombreuse famille" through her work as a painter, referring to "L'histoire des malheurs de la mere" (the story of the misfortunes of the mother).[8] Certainly, Madame Mezzara worked steadily as an artist after her children were born, and after her husband died in 1845.[9] As early as 1825, in Évreux, she was painting portraits.[5][10] The Database of Salon Artists (1827-1850) indicates that she submitted work to the Paris Salon as early as 1827, though she was not accepted in that year. In 1833, she submitted 5 works, of which 4 were accepted. From then on, most of her submissions were accepted. These included both drawings and pastels.[11] A list of her works in the Dictionnaire général des artistes de l'école française indicates that she exhibited at the Paris Salon almost every year from 1833 to 1852.[12][13][14] This was a substantial achievement, given the restrictions facing women artists of the time.[15][16][17][18]

By 1834, the Salon records her as living at 75 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Martin.[19] She was mentioned with other artists, including the women "de Mmes de Varennes, Clotilde Gérard, Fanny Allaux, Laure de Léoménil et Angélique Mezzara" in Annuaire historique universel, pour 1839.[20] In La phalange: revue de la science sociale, she and other women portrait painters at the Salon of 1845 were mentioned: "mesdames Armide Lepeut, Sophie Rude ; Nina Bianchi , Elisa Blondel, Élisa Bernard, Angélique Mezzara". The women's works were also commended as being more expressive than those exhibited by the men.[21]

One of Angélique Mezzara's portraits was shown in the ninth annual exhibition of the Artists' Fund Society of Philadelphia in 1844. She is identified as living in Philadelphia at that time, but nothing is known about how long she may have stayed in the United States.[22][23][24][25]

It is possible that she translated a novel, La Rêve de la Vie, from English to French, for publication in 1858.[26]

Children

Both of her sons became artists. Joseph Mezzara was both a sculptor and a painter, portraying prominent contemporary figures. Although his earliest submissions to the Paris Salon were refused,[27] a number of his marble portrait busts were accepted by the Paris Salon between 1852 and 1875.[12] Joseph Mezzara married Mathilde Leenhoff in 1856. Mathilde was a sister of Suzanne Leenhoff, who had a complicated relationship with Édouard Manet.[28][29] Joseph's sons Francois Mezzara and Charles Mezzara, and Charles' wife Florence Koechlin,[30] are also listed as painters and students of Joseph Mezzara in Dictionnaire général des artistes.[12][13][31]

Pierre (or Pietro) Mezzara also became a sculptor, but moved to the United States, possibly because of the California Gold Rush.[32] He lived in San Francisco, and was known for his work as a cameo cutter.[33] He created the first memorial statue of Abraham Lincoln. It was dedicated (in plaster) in San Francisco in 1866, and destroyed (in bronze) by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.[34][35][36] Pietro Mezzara was involved with the California Art Union and the San Francisco Art Association, and helped found the San Francisco School of Design.[33][37]

Clémentine Mezzara, who exhibited watercolors at the Salon in 1847 and 1848, may have been a daughter of Angélique. Salon records for 1847 list both Angélique Mezzara and Clémentine Mezzara as living at 11 Quai Napoléon.[5][7][38][39]

Death

Between 1849[40] and 1852,[41] Angélique moved to 101 Rue Blanche, the address at which she died in September 13, 1868. Her death was recorded as follows: "Acte de décès: Marie Angélique FOULON, artiste peintre, âgée de soixante-quinze ans, née à Paris, décédée ce matin, à quatre heures trois quarts en son domicile, Rue Blanche, n°. 101, veuve de François Gaspard MEZZARA." The death was reported by "M. Joseph Ernest Mezzara, sculpteur, âgé de quarante-huit ans, dem[euran]t à Paris, Rue d'Alambert [d'Alembert], n°. 16, fils de la défunte."[42]

Known works

The Dictionnaire général des artistes lists the following works shown at the Salon by Mme Angélique Mezzara:[12][13]

  • S. 1833. Portrait de M. Manuel, d'apres M. Brolling;
    • Portrait de Mme. C. G., d'apres M. Hersent;
    • Portraits, dessins au pastel meme numero.
  • S. 1834. Portraits, dessines meme numero.[19]
  • S. 1836. Portraits au pastel, meme numero.[43]
  • S. 1837. Portrait d'hommes, pastel.
    • Portrait de femme;
    • Portraits de MMlles M., pastels.
  • S. 1838. Portrait de Mme N., pastel.
    • Portrait de M. E. V., pastel.
  • S. 1839. Portrait de Mlle P. G., pastel.
  • S. 1840. Portrait de Mme de T., pastel.
  • S. 1841. Etude au pastel.
  • S. 1843. Portrait de Mlle M. R., pastel.
  • S. 1845. Portrait de Mme M. R., pastel.
    • Portrait de Mlle A. R., pastel.
  • S. 1847. Portrait de Mme la comtesse de Salvandy, pastel.[38][39]
  • S. 1849. Portrait de Mlle C. M., pastel.[40]
  • S. 1852. Portrait de M. A. V., pastel.
    • Portrait de Mme E. V., pastel.[41]
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References
  1. Darras, J. E. (Joseph Epiphane); Spalding, M. J. (Martin John); White, Charles I. (Charles Ignatius) (1869). A general history of the Catholic Church: from the commencement of the Christian era until the present time 1865. New York: P. O'Shea, Publisher. p. 455. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  2. de Feller, François-Xavier (1867). Biographie universelle, ou, Dictionnaire historique des hommes qui se sont fait un nom depuis le commencement du monde jusqu'à nos jours. Paris: J.B. Pélagaud. pp. 644–645.
  3. Michaud, Joseph-François (1856). Biographie universelle, ancienne et moderne, ouvrage rédigé par une société de gens de lettres. Paris: Desplaces & Michaud. p. 504.
  4. LeClere, A. (1828). L' Ami De La Religion: Journal Ecclésiastique, Politique Et Littéraire. Volume 55. Paris: Libraire Ecclesiastique. pp. 309–311. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  5. Van der Stighelen, Katlijne (2014). "A self-portrait by Francesco Mezzara (1774-1845), the Italian painter who changed New York State Constitutional Law with a pair of ass'ears". Nineteenth-century Art Worldwide. A Journal of Nineteenth Century Visual Culture. Association of Historians of Nineteenth-Century Art. 13 (2): 1–20. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  6. Griffiths, Harriet; Mill, Alister. "Artist Details: Mezzara, François". Database of Salon Artists : A record of Salon entries from 1827 to 1850. University of Exeter, Arts and Humanities Research Council. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  7. Griffiths, Harriet; Mill, Alister. "Artist Details: Mezzara, Mlle Clementine". Database of Salon Artists : A record of Salon entries from 1827 to 1850. University of Exeter, Arts and Humanities Research Council. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  8. Nouvelles archives de l'art français. Paris: Charavay Freres, Société de l'histoire de l'art français. 1893. p. 229.
  9. "Décès," February 3, 1845, V3E/D 1056, Archives départementales, Archives de Paris.
  10. Ville de Louviers, Musée: Peinture, sculpture, dessin, gravure, architecture, etc.; Catalogue Publié sous les Auspices de l'Administration Municipale. Louviers: n.p. 1888. p. 20. Mezzara (Mme Angélique), no. 153. Portrait de Louis-Jacques-Amédée-Hector Ancel. Dessin fait en 1825; no. 154. Portrait de Noël-Louis Ancel. Date du dessin: 1825.
  11. Griffiths, Harriet; Mill, Alister. "Artist Details: Mezzara, Mme Angélique". Database of Salon Artists : A record of Salon entries from 1827 to 1850. University of Exeter, Arts and Humanities Research Council. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  12. Bellier de La Chavignerie, Émile; Auvray, Louis (1885). Dictionnaire général des artistes de l'école française depuis l'origine des arts du dessin jusqu'à nos jours: Architectes, peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs et lithographes. Paris: Renouard. p. 84. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  13. Bellier de La Chavignerie, Émile; Auvray, Louis (1880). Dictionnaire général des artistes de l'école française. Paris: Renouard. p. 84. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  14. Bénézit, Emmanuel (1999). Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs de tous les temps et de tous les pays. 7. Paris: Gründ. p. 381. MEZZARA (Angélique) peintre de portraits, née à Paris, morte à Paris en septembre 1868 (Ec. Fr.). De 1833 à 1852, elle figura au Salon avec des portraits.
  15. Auricchio, Laura (2004). "Eighteenth-Century Women Painters in France". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  16. Mustich, Emma (February 18, 2012). "Painting as Paris burned". Salon. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  17. Myers, Nicole (2008). "Women Artists in Nineteenth-Century France". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
  18. Mainardi, Patricia (1994). The end of the Salon : art and the state in the early Third Republic (1st pbk. ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521469210.
  19. Société des artistes français pour l'exposition des Beaux Arts (1834). Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivans exposés au Musée Royal. Paris: Vinchon. p. 129. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  20. Lesur, Charles-Louis (1841). Annuaire historique universel, pour 1839. Paris: Thoisnier Desplaces. p. 285.
  21. La phalange: revue de la science sociale. Paris: Aux bureaux de la phalange. 1845. p. 280. Retrieved 4 January 2016. En vérité, en vérité, les œuvres des femmes sont généralement plus expressives que celles des hommes.
  22. Blättel, Harry (1992). International dictionary miniature painters, porcelain painters, silhouettists : Internationales Lexikon Miniatur-Maler, Porzellan-Maler, Silhouettisten = Dictionnaire international peintres miniaturistes, peintres sur porcelaine, Silhouettistes (1. Aufl. ed.). München: Arts and Antiques Ed. Munich. p. 638. ISBN 3928263110. Note: Blättel gives her death date correctly as 1868, but identifies her as an American.
  23. Falk, Peter Hastings, ed. (1985). Who was who in American art : compiled from the original thirty-four volumes of American art annual--Who's who in art, biographies of American artists active from 1898-1947. II. Madison, Conn.: Sound View Press. p. 2264. ISBN 0932087000.
  24. Petteys, Chris (1985). Dictionary of Women Artists: an international dictionary of women artists born before 1900. Boston, Massachusetts: G. K. Hall & Co. p. 494.
  25. Groce, George C.; Wallace, David H.; New-York Historical Society (1957). The New-York Historical Society's Dictionary of artists in America, 1564-1860. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 441.
  26. "Isaac Marvel", pseud. of Donald Grant Mitchell (1858). La Rêve de la Vie. Translated by (Madame.) A. Mezzara. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette et cie.
  27. Griffiths, Harriet; Mill, Alister. "Artist Details: Mezzara, Joseph". Database of Salon Artists : A record of Salon entries from 1827 to 1850. University of Exeter, Arts and Humanities Research Council. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  28. Brombert, Beth Archer (1996). Edouard Manet : rebel in a frock coat (1st ed.). Boston: Little, Brown. p. 138. ISBN 9780316109475.
  29. Locke, Nancy (2002). Manet and the family romance. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0691114842.
  30. Thieme, Ulrich; Becker, Felix (1930). Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart Thieme-Becker. 24. Leipzig: Seemann. p. 503.
  31. Steppes, Michael; Klimt, Andreas. Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon bio-bibliographischer Index A-Z = The artists of the world : bio-bibliographical index A-Z = Encyclopédie universelle des artistes index bio-bibliographique A-Z = Enciclopedia universale degli artisti indice bio-bibliografico A-Z = Enciclopedia universal de los artistas indice bio-bibliográfico A-Z. München : K.G. Saur, 1999-2000, Vol. 6, p. 775.
  32. "Pietro Mezzara (1826 - 1883)". AskArt. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  33. Palmquist, Peter E.; Kailbourn, Thomas R. (2000). Pioneer photographers of the Far West : a biographical dictionary, 1840-1865. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press. p. 399. ISBN 9780804738835. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  34. "Mezzara's Lincoln Statue". Everythingn Lincoln. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  35. Durman, Donald Charles (1951). He belongs to the ages: the statues of Abraham Lincoln. Ann Arbor: Edwards Bros. p. 26.
  36. "Abraham Lincoln statue, sculpted by Pietro Mezzara, located in front of a grammar school in San Francisco, California". Library of Congress. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  37. Visnich, Daniel (1982). Pietro Mezzara : California's first sculptor. Sacramento: California Legislature Senate Rules Committee.
  38. Société des artistes français pour l'exposition des Beaux Arts (1847). Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants exposés au Musée Royal. Paris: Vinchon. p. 217. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  39. Sanchez, Pierre; Seydoux, Xavier. Les catalogues des salons des Beaux-arts. Paris: L'Echelle de Jacob, 2001, Volume V 1846-1850, p. 144.
  40. Société des artistes français pour l'exposition des Beaux Arts (1849). Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants exposés au Palais des Tuileries. Paris: Dubray. p. 129. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  41. Société des artistes français pour l'exposition des Beaux Arts (1852). Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants exposés au Palais Royales. Paris: Dubray. p. 150. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  42. "Décès," 9e arr., September 1, 1868, VE4 1051, Archives Départementales, Archives de Paris.
  43. Société des artistes français pour l'exposition des Beaux Arts (1836). Explication des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure, et lithographie des artistes vivans exposés au Musée Royal. Paris: Vinchon. p. 146. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
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