Julius LeBlanc Stewart
Julius LeBlanc Stewart was an American Realism artist who lived from 1855 to 1919. He is most known for his artwork depicting the Belle Époque period in Paris, France, when prosperity and wealth allowed the arts to flourish. Like his contemporary, John Singer Sargent, Stewart was an expatriate who spent his adult life overseas in Paris.
Stewart was born in Philadelphia to a very wealthy American family who made their millions from the sugar trade. His father was a banker and avid art collector and exposed his son to Master of Art Early in his youth. In 1865, after the close of the American Civil War, the Stewart family moved to Paris, France. His father continued to collect art, supporting contemporary artists such as Mariano Fortuny and Eduardo Zamacoïs. He had a large collection of contemporary art and hosted his own private salon showings. His father opened up the art world to his family, paying Eduardo Zamacoïs to tutor his son in art.
From his teens on, Stewart studied art. He studied first under Eduardo Zamacoïs. In May of 1873, he began more formal studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the well-known historical and Orientalist artist, Jean-Léon Gérôme. In 1874, he accompanied Gérôme on one of his trips to Egypt. Fortunately for Stewart, his parents were supportive of his career choice. Their wealth allowed him the leisure to paint whatever he desired. Stewart was an active member of the Parisian upper society. This was initially due to his father’s fortune, but Stewart’s personality and charm ensured he remained there. He established his own reputation, achieving money and acclaim through his commissioned portraits. In the mid-1870s, Stewart opened and moved into his own artist studio. His most well-known paintings depict notable actors, artists, socialites, and his personal friends. Stewart often included his own face among the crowds that he painted.
Stewart first displayed his art at the prestigious Paris Salon in 1878 and continued to do so for many years. He was immediately beloved by the Salon, fellow artists, and art critics. He even helped to organize the 1894 “Americans in Paris” exhibit within the Paris Salon. Like John Singer Sargent, Stewart made money and acclaim through his commissioned portraits. Stewart was very successful in his lifetime. In 1895, he was awarded the prestigious title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, the French version of the knighthood. Towards the end of his life, his subject shifted to more religious themed art. Julius LeBlanc Stewart died in 1919 at 63 years of age.
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