Additional Information
Biography
- Born: 26 July 1800, Paris, France.
- Died: 24 April 1874, Paris.
- He came from a long line of artists of Flemish origin: his father Jean‑Joseph‑François Tassaert was an engraver; his grandfather Jean‑Pierre‑Antoine Tassaert was a sculptor.
Training & Early Career
- Early training with his father and his older brother, Paul, both in engraving and dealing in prints.
- In 1816 he studied under Alexis‑François Girard (engraver).
- From 1817 to 1825 he studied at the École des Beaux‑Arts, under the painter Guillaume Guillon Lethière.
- He made an unsuccessful attempt to win the Prix de Rome around 1823–24, which affected him deeply.
Subject matter:
- Genre scenes showing the lives of the poor, social miseries, abandoned women, children in hardship, illness, family despair, suicide. These are often deeply emotional, occasionally melodramatic.
- Religious, historical, allegorical works as well. Also sensuous or erotic scenes, nudes, allegory.
- For many works, a strong narrative or moral element: not just depicting but often instructing or evoking pity.
Major Works & Where to Find Them
Some well known works include:
| Title | Date / Place |
|---|---|
| The Death of Correggio | 1834, Salon; purchased by Duke of Orleans; now in Hermitage, Saint Petersburg. |
| An Unfortunate Family or Suicide | ca. 1849‑1851; Musée d’Orsay (and also Musée Fabre in Montpellier). |
| The Deserted Woman | 1852; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. |
| Heaven and Hell | 1850; Cleveland Museum of Art. |
| The Bourgeois’ Kitchen | 1854; Cleveland Museum of Art. |
