Joseph Guichard

They helped him to enter the workshop of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, who emphasized the importance of drawing as the basis of all great art; extolling the beautiful lines of Raphael as opposed to the passionate colors of Rubens.

This approach also proved dissatisfying so, when he became a student at the École des beaux-arts de Paris in 1828 and discovered Eugène Delacroix, he disavowed Ingres and painted without preliminary sketches; a practice he would follow throughout his life.

In 1833, through his numerous connections, Guichard was able to meet with Adolphe Thiers, Minister of the Interior, who had plans for a museum that would display reproductions of works by the Old Masters, to expose them to the greatest possible number of people.

In 1862, he was named Professor of the painting classes at the École des beaux-arts de Lyon, succeeding the late Michel Philibert Genod, and returned to his hometown.

His old friend, Chenavard and the art critic Charles Blanc intervened on his behalf and he was named Director of the school by Jules Simon, Minister of Instruction in the Government of National Defense.

During his tenure as a teacher, his students included Berthe Morisot, Germain Détanger, Félix Bracquemond, Alphonse Stengelin and Jean Seignemartin.