Jacques Tissot - Painter Who Was Both Controversl And Successful

Jacques Tissot was born in 1836, Nantes is a French seaport. He was always interested in things nautical and this can be seen in the precision of the maneuvers and marine scenes, then painted. His father was a successful merchant and a devout Roman Catholic and Jaques was sent to a Jesuit school. His father was not happy with the election of the career of Jacques, but he gave us onwards.

It was the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1856, in force, where he was andfriends with James McNeill Whistler. He changed is name to James in order to draw interest to himself. He had learned the business of trading from his father and used this experience to sell his works. He traveled extensively plying his craft and surviving well, especially among the wealthy English patrons, and even exhibited at the Royal Academy. He returned to Paris and with the outbreak of war (Franco-Prussian War) fled to England in 1871 where he had many friends. James was hard working and wisely and quickly became a success in London. His images were of excellent quality, but sometimes controversial - probably supports this distribution and not vice versa. Many images are incredibly beautiful women in costumes. The famous art critic John Ruskin was particularly indifferent, and called his paintings "mere vulgar images of society." His French friends were jealous of his success in England. He lived life to the fullest.

In 1874, Edmond de Goncourt wrotesarcastically that James Tissot had "a studio with a waiting room where, at all times, there is iced champagne at the disposal of visitors, and around the studio, a garden where, all day long, one can see a footman in silk stockings brushing and shining the shrubbery leaves".

He met Kathleen Newton and Irish divorcee with two children and a colorful past. She was his model and mistress, and together they inspired each other. James and Kathleen lived as man and wife but within a few years her health started to decline and in 1882, she cheated consumption by committing suicide. Throughout this time James remained totally committed to her.

James was heartbroken and within a week left the house and never returned. He did not marry or have any more long term relationships. He dabbled in Spiritualism and tried to contact Kathleen. He moved to Paris and continued the style that had been so successful for him in London but it was not so successful in Paris. He had a "religious experience" and became extremely devout and began painting religious scenes.

He died in 1902 in Bullion.